Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Laayoune Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Laayoune

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $636 in Laayoune, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,030 in Laayoune, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,425 in Laayoune, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Laayoune, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Laayoune are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Laayoune 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.88 MAD 36.21

-49.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$28.55 MAD 266

-35.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.76 MAD 44.36

57.14%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.65 MAD 15.41

22.42%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.49 MAD 4.55

73.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.32 MAD 2.95

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$3.55 MAD 33.08

-39.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.65 MAD 43.34

-22.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.84 MAD 7.85

96.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.57 MAD 5.27

175.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.90 MAD 17.73

-37.37%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.35 MAD 12.62

43.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$11.72 MAD 109

38.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.37 MAD 31.45

-11.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$9.36 MAD 87.3

16.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.48 MAD 13.78

83.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.14 MAD 10.64

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.66 MAD 6.17

156.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.56 MAD 5.20

185.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.45 MAD 4.18

206.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.36 MAD 3.38

233.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.90 MAD 8.38

-25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.56 MAD 5.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.54 MAD 32.97

-6.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.55 MAD 5.16

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$11.63 MAD 108

66.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.70 MAD 6.56

94.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.65 MAD 6.07

106.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.28 MAD 11.94

-4.69%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$38.8K MAD 362.1K

-45.01%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$26.7K MAD 248.8K

-15.55%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$32.84 MAD 306

115.19%

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

$14.04 ฿472

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$22.31 MAD 208

-21.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$22.79 MAD 213

84.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$34.89 MAD 325

-80.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.39 MAD 31.60

74.63%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$290 MAD 2,707

6.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$3,451 MAD 32.2K

331.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$34.98 MAD 326

59.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$56.9 MAD 531

-54.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$75.3 MAD 702

10.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$79.8 MAD 744

-11.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$347 MAD 3,237

24.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$177 MAD 1,647

35.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$698 MAD 6,505

17.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$285 MAD 2,658

79.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Laayoune: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $347 in Laayoune. 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Laayoune. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $146 in Laayoune – so Laayoune 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 Laayoune: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Laayoune, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $954 in Laayoune. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $290 in Laayoune. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 66% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $636 in Laayoune, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laayoune costs $636 versus $861 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 Laayoune. 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.