Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Oued Zem Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Oued Zem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $790 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,321 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,851 in Oued Zem, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Oued Zem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Oued Zem are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Oued Zem 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$4.73 MAD 44.34

-56.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$50.2 MAD 471

-62.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$6.53 MAD 61.3

20.37%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$2.04 MAD 19.17

-0.49%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.63 MAD 5.90

26.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.37 MAD 3.48

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$5.62 MAD 52.7

-61.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$4.06 MAD 38.05

-9.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$0.82 MAD 7.66

110.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.47 MAD 4.42

234.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.96 MAD 18.42

-38.78%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.93 MAD 18.13

2.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$13.18 MAD 124

23.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.90 MAD 64.7

-55.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$11.99 MAD 113

-9.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.58 MAD 14.87

75.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.44 MAD 13.51

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$0.82 MAD 7.65

108.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$0.86 MAD 8.08

84.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.67 MAD 6.29

107.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.67 MAD 6.27

73.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.42 MAD 3.96

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.60 MAD 5.60

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.44 MAD 41.71

4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$7.70 MAD 72.3

130.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$2.62 MAD 24.60

-31.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.55 MAD 23.94

30.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.50 MAD 4.72

82.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$16.19 MAD 152

15.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.53 MAD 4.99

166.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.89 MAD 8.32

50.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$4.50 MAD 42.22

80.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.58 MAD 14.79

-22.15%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$37.0K MAD 347.0K

-42.04%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$29.2K MAD 273.8K

-25.20%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$40.97 MAD 384

74.10%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$11.09 MAD 104

26.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$39.78 MAD 373

-54.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$24.64 MAD 231

65.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$23.14 MAD 217

-70.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.56 MAD 61.6

-12.80%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$160 MAD 1,505

92.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$6,381 MAD 59.9K

130.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$53.1 MAD 498

5.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$47.44 MAD 445

-45.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$107 MAD 1,005

-20.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$98.8 MAD 927

-28.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$286 MAD 2,684

47.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$176 MAD 1,655

37.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$514 MAD 4,819

55.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$310 MAD 2,910

63.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$1,165 MAD 10.9K

64.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$932 MAD 8,745

57.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$246 MAD 2,311

141.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

3.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $286 in Oued Zem. 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 142% 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 $50.0 in Oued Zem. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $208 in Oued Zem – so Oued Zem 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 Oued Zem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Oued Zem, 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 $1,186 in Oued Zem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oued Zem, 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 $160 in Oued Zem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $790 in Oued Zem, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Oued Zem costs $790 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 Oued Zem. 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.