Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Laayoune

For one person, living is cheaper in Laayoune: $119 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Laayoune

🇪🇭 Western Sahara

$119

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Laayoune

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Laayoune actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $119 in Laayoune, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Laayoune $119

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $173 in Laayoune, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Laayoune $173

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $227 in Laayoune, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Laayoune $227

Chiang Mai costs about 684% more than Laayoune, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chiang Mai and Laayoune are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Laayoune 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$4.14 MAD 40.80

-45.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$3.32 MAD 32.73

67.17%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$2.07 MAD 20.36

-19.32%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.42 MAD 4.16

52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.30 MAD 2.92

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.72 MAD 7.11

20.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.73 MAD 7.21

58.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.73 MAD 7.23

-27.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.33 MAD 13.13

9.02%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$20.67 MAD 204

-2.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$45.68 MAD 450

16.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Laayoune: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Laayoune

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Laayoune

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Laayoune

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Laayoune

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Laayoune

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Laayoune

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Laayoune

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇪🇭 Laayoune

🕒 Local time

02:03 2:03 AM

19:03 7:03 PM

7 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

196,331 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 MAD = 10.15 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.85 MAD (1 MAD = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Laayoune 11,100 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Laayoune

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 684% more than Laayoune, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $179 in Laayoune. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Laayoune to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.