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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $783 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,295 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,808 in Oued Zem, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Oued Zem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Oued Zem are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Oued Zem 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.63 MAD 42.81

-57.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$49.13 MAD 454

-61.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.81 MAD 63.0

13.80%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.04 MAD 18.87

-5.88%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.58 MAD 5.35

36.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.41 MAD 3.77

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$5.38 MAD 49.78

-58.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.05 MAD 37.46

-9.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.89 MAD 8.21

85.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.50 MAD 4.65

226.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.87 MAD 17.30

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.02 MAD 18.73

-0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$13.04 MAD 121

22.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.95 MAD 64.3

-56.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.61 MAD 107

-6.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.60 MAD 14.78

72.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.39 MAD 12.89

-15.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.78 MAD 7.23

110.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.86 MAD 7.96

76.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.72 MAD 6.70

91.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.69 MAD 6.39

72.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.39 MAD 3.65

79.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.58 MAD 5.38

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.40 MAD 40.70

4.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.73 MAD 71.5

114.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.74 MAD 25.34

-33.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.43 MAD 22.48

31.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.47 MAD 4.38

87.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$16.59 MAD 153

12.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.56 MAD 5.22

142.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.88 MAD 8.11

52.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.33 MAD 40.08

81.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.53 MAD 14.16

-19.61%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$36.5K MAD 338.0K

-40.83%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$29.0K MAD 268.1K

-22.21%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$41.67 MAD 385

69.28%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$10.86 MAD 100

25.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$39.64 MAD 367

-55.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$23.97 MAD 222

72.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$23.10 MAD 214

-69.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.76 MAD 62.5

-14.64%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$160 MAD 1,480

91.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,473 MAD 59.9K

125.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$53.4 MAD 494

4.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$47.87 MAD 443

-45.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$106 MAD 979

-18.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$101 MAD 931

-28.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$279 MAD 2,584

53.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$176 MAD 1,632

35.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$509 MAD 4,707

60.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$307 MAD 2,841

66.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,380 MAD 12.8K

43.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,050 MAD 9,710

41.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$246 MAD 2,274

151.75%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $279 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 152% 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 $49.00 in Oued Zem. Groceries tell a different story – $241 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 11% more than Oued Zem, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,174 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 $307 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 16% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $783 in Oued Zem, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Oued Zem costs $783 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 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.