Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ksar El Kebir Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ksar El Kebir

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $799 in Ksar El Kebir, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,273 in Ksar El Kebir, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,748 in Ksar El Kebir, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Ksar El Kebir, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Ksar El Kebir are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ksar El Kebir 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.80 MAD 25.88

-30.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$32.69 MAD 302

-42.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.27 MAD 76.5

-4.23%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.60 MAD 14.79

19.37%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.45 MAD 4.21

86.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.31 MAD 2.90

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.75 MAD 34.64

-41.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$4.41 MAD 40.81

-13.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.90 MAD 8.29

82.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.77 MAD 7.16

110.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.96 MAD 18.11

-39.80%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.99 MAD 18.45

1.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.40 MAD 105

39.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$7.19 MAD 66.5

-58.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.80 MAD 109

-8.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.84 MAD 17.01

41.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.57 MAD 14.54

-22.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.87 MAD 8.04

95.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.89 MAD 8.24

77.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.72 MAD 6.63

83.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.73 MAD 6.79

60.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.46 MAD 4.25

45.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.62 MAD 5.75

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.41 MAD 40.83

2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.01 MAD 74.1

127.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.78 MAD 25.70

-34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.78 MAD 25.72

16.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.51 MAD 4.73

74.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$16.70 MAD 154

16.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.85 MAD 7.88

58.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.82 MAD 7.61

64.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$5.47 MAD 50.6

50.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.49 MAD 13.78

-14.77%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$36.7K MAD 339.1K

-42.30%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.7K MAD 265.1K

-21.54%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$70.2 ฿2,294

$49.73 MAD 460

41.06%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.77 ฿450

$12.16 MAD 112

13.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$42.80 MAD 396

-58.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$24.74 MAD 229

68.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$23.29 MAD 215

-71.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$8.72 MAD 80.7

-33.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$306 ฿10.0K

$208 MAD 1,920

47.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,476 MAD 50.7K

170.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$65.9 MAD 609

-17.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$53.5 MAD 495

-51.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$112 MAD 1,037

-24.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$90.1 MAD 833

-22.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$285 MAD 2,633

48.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$176 MAD 1,626

35.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$511 MAD 4,724

61.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$310 MAD 2,871

66.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,638 MAD 15.1K

25.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,091 MAD 10.1K

39.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.29

-5.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ksar El Kebir: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $285 in Ksar El Kebir. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Ksar El Kebir. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $213 in Ksar El Kebir – so Ksar El Kebir wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Ksar El Kebir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Ksar El Kebir, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,198 in Ksar El Kebir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ksar El Kebir, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $208 in Ksar El Kebir. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $799 in Ksar El Kebir, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ksar El Kebir costs $799 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ksar El Kebir. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.