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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $666 in Meknes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $980 in Meknes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,293 in Meknes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Meknes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Meknes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Meknes 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.16 MAD 19.95

-8.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$12.73 MAD 118

47.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.40 MAD 49.94

43.52%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.33 MAD 12.28

44.36%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.69 MAD 6.42

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.44 MAD 4.07

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.26 MAD 30.17

-32.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.13 MAD 38.25

-11.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.86 MAD 7.95

91.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.32 MAD 2.93

409.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.25 MAD 11.54

-4.80%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.99 MAD 18.45

0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.90 MAD 101

46.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.49 MAD 41.52

-32.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.20 MAD 85.1

18.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.33 MAD 12.35

107.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.24 MAD 11.47

-4.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.92 MAD 8.55

78.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.72 MAD 6.67

111.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.72 MAD 6.70

91.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.74 MAD 6.86

60.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.42 MAD 3.91

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.59 MAD 5.45

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.38 MAD 40.55

4.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$11.51 MAD 106

43.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.85 MAD 26.38

-35.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.77 MAD 25.65

15.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.42 MAD 3.92

109.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$16.56 MAD 153

13.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.39 MAD 3.61

248.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.48 MAD 4.40

179.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.27 MAD 39.53

83.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.48 MAD 13.74

-16.89%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$37.7K MAD 348.6K

-42.61%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.3K MAD 262.2K

-20.45%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$37.11 MAD 343

90.08%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$10.79 MAD 99.8

26.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$33.11 MAD 306

-47.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$24.20 MAD 224

70.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.26 MAD 178

-63.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.40 MAD 40.70

31.14%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$151 MAD 1,399

103.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,629 MAD 15.1K

797.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$44.80 MAD 414

24.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$40.23 MAD 372

-34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$57.6 MAD 532

48.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$55.0 MAD 508

31.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$271 MAD 2,507

58.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$175 MAD 1,620

36.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$423 MAD 3,916

93.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$286 MAD 2,645

78.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$934 MAD 8,638

112.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$633 MAD 5,858

134.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$506 MAD 4,679

22.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Meknes: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $271 in Meknes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $13.00 in Meknes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $184 – making Meknes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Meknes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Meknes, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $999 in Meknes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $151 in Meknes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $666 in Meknes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Meknes costs $666 versus $869 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 Meknes. 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.