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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $636 in Laayoune, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,031 in Laayoune, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,426 in Laayoune, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Laayoune, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Laayoune are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Laayoune 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.76 MAD 34.57

-48.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$29.45 MAD 271

-36.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.61 MAD 42.36

69.63%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.63 MAD 14.96

19.63%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.51 MAD 4.69

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.34 MAD 3.15

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.49 MAD 32.08

-38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.70 MAD 43.20

-20.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.85 MAD 7.78

101.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.59 MAD 5.46

176.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.81 MAD 16.66

-37.02%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.38 MAD 12.64

39.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.63 MAD 107

39.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.40 MAD 31.24

-8.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.34 MAD 85.8

16.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.52 MAD 14.01

80.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.14 MAD 10.45

6.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.66 MAD 6.09

145.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.57 MAD 5.23

178.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.44 MAD 4.08

218.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.36 MAD 3.35

225.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.95 MAD 8.78

-30.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.56 MAD 5.13

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.45 MAD 31.68

-6.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.61 MAD 5.59

47.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$11.46 MAD 105

67.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.72 MAD 6.63

95.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.69 MAD 6.32

86.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.24 MAD 11.42

2.42%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$39.8K MAD 366.2K

-46.60%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.4K MAD 242.4K

-15.79%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$32.74 MAD 301

110.97%

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

$14.08 ฿460

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$22.73 MAD 209

-20.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$23.36 MAD 215

75.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$34.91 MAD 321

-80.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.41 MAD 31.35

73.61%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$286 MAD 2,627

4.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,469 MAD 31.9K

331.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$34.51 MAD 317

58.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$57.7 MAD 531

-53.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$74.1 MAD 681

14.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$80.8 MAD 743

-12.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$354 MAD 3,251

21.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$174 MAD 1,603

36.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$691 MAD 6,348

16.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$292 MAD 2,687

76.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Laayoune: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $354 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Laayoune. Groceries tell a different story – $246 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 36% 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 $1,300 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $286 in Laayoune. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% 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 $866 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 $866 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.