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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $568 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $907 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,245 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than Ouarzazate, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ouarzazate are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ouarzazate 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.78 MAD 44.60

-57.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$10.98 MAD 102

70.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.50 MAD 41.97

74.67%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.07 MAD 10.00

89.72%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.42 MAD 3.92

90.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.36 MAD 3.32

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.82 MAD 26.28

-24.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.69 MAD 25.07

36.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.77 MAD 7.20

124.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.56 MAD 5.24

180.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.45 MAD 13.55

-17.24%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.66 MAD 15.46

18.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$7.83 MAD 73.0

107.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.15 MAD 38.65

-26.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$6.54 MAD 61.0

65.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.97 MAD 9.08

185.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.39 MAD 12.95

-15.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.63 MAD 5.85

171.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.68 MAD 6.33

133.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.64 MAD 5.98

117.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.46 MAD 4.28

152.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.23 MAD 2.15

186.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.60 MAD 5.57

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.29 MAD 40.01

8.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.20 MAD 76.5

116.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.61 MAD 24.38

-31.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.05 MAD 28.43

9.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.47 MAD 4.41

93.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$16.20 MAD 151

15.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.54 MAD 5.03

161.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.51 MAD 4.76

162.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.78 MAD 25.89

191.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.52 MAD 14.17

-19.08%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$37.9K MAD 353.2K

-43.41%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$29.5K MAD 275.3K

-26.09%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$32.17 MAD 300

121.73%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$5.41 MAD 50.5

158.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$25.05 MAD 234

-28.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$15.08 MAD 141

170.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$23.53 MAD 219

-70.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.82 MAD 35.60

49.74%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$75.8 MAD 707

306.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,303 MAD 58.8K

132.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$38.89 MAD 363

43.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$50.6 MAD 471

-48.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$50.2 MAD 468

69.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$67.0 MAD 625

5.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$251 MAD 2,343

68.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$130 MAD 1,208

87.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$502 MAD 4,676

58.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$309 MAD 2,880

64.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,231 MAD 11.5K

55.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$896 MAD 8,359

63.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

5.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ouarzazate: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $251 in Ouarzazate. 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 $11.00 in Ouarzazate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $155 – making Ouarzazate 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 Ouarzazate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than Ouarzazate, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $852 in Ouarzazate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $75.8 in Ouarzazate. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $568 in Ouarzazate, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ouarzazate costs $568 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 Ouarzazate. 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.