Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Oujda

For one person, living is cheaper in Oujda: $636 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Oujda, Morocco
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Oujda
🇲🇦 Morocco
$636
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Oujda

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Oujda actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $636 in Oujda, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Oujda $636

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $989 in Oujda, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Oujda $989

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,342 in Oujda, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Oujda $1,342

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Oujda, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Oujda are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Oujda 53% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Oujda
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿71.4
$3.74 MAD 36.46
-43.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿623
$18.03 MAD 176
3.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿187
$5.01 MAD 48.88
11.78%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$1.56 MAD 15.20
6.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.63
$0.45 MAD 4.36
44.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.20
$0.43 MAD 4.20
-30.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿77.7
$2.59 MAD 25.28
-10.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿123
$3.62 MAD 35.34
1.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Oujda
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿67.4
$0.78 MAD 7.57
158.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.08
$0.26 MAD 2.54
442.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.54
$1.88 MAD 18.32
-26.06%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.2
$1.87 MAD 18.29
26.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿552
$11.85 MAD 116
39.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿89.3
$3.76 MAD 36.64
-28.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿302
$8.72 MAD 85.1
3.44%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.2
$1.48 MAD 14.41
62.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.82
$1.34 MAD 13.06
-22.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿55.5
$0.94 MAD 9.12
76.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.1
$1.00 MAD 9.72
56.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.39
$0.78 MAD 7.59
58.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.34
$1.03 MAD 10.01
5.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.47
$0.49 MAD 4.80
55.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.19
$0.63 MAD 6.10
-19.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿138
$3.93 MAD 38.35
4.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿600
$11.75 MAD 115
52.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.3
$2.26 MAD 22.04
-28.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿94.4
$2.56 MAD 24.99
10.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Oujda
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.25
$0.38 MAD 3.66
144.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,769
$20.74 MAD 202
155.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.35
$0.74 MAD 7.19
59.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.73
$0.64 MAD 6.24
-73.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿60.6
$4.56 MAD 44.52
-60.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.25
$1.44 MAD 14.01
2.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿702.6K
$35.0K MAD 341.7K
-40.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿886.7K
$30.1K MAD 293.6K
-11.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Oujda
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,092
$53.8 MAD 525
16.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿388
$9.98 MAD 97.4
16.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿679
$47.68 MAD 465
-57.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Oujda
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,267
$18.32 MAD 179
106.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿124
$15.52 MAD 151
-76.16%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿218
$5.21 MAD 50.8
24.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Oujda
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.3K
$98.8 MAD 964
635.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿554.2K
$5,585 MAD 54.5K
196.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Oujda
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,790
$17.60 MAD 172
204.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿829
$43.73 MAD 427
-43.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,023
$53.5 MAD 522
68.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,407
$50.7 MAD 495
41.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Oujda
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.1K
$197 MAD 1,922
144.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.4K
$124 MAD 1,205
150.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.4K
$375 MAD 3,658
182.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.0K
$260 MAD 2,531
153.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿80.8K
$753 MAD 7,343
221.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿53.8K
$482 MAD 4,699
233.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Oujda
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿19.9K
$372 MAD 3,627
59.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.55
22.42%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Oujda: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Oujda
$124 60.1% $186
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Oujda
$184 22.3% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Oujda
$75 31.2% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Oujda
$111 18% $17
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Oujda
$87 14.1% $11
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Oujda
$26 55.4% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Oujda
$29 43.5% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $197 in Oujda. 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 60% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $18 in Oujda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $184 – making Oujda the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇲🇦 Oujda
🕒 Local time
14:43 2:43 PM
07:43 7:43 AM
7 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
494,252
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.95 MAD (100 MAD = 9.13 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Oujda 9,780 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Oujda

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Oujda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Oujda?
Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Oujda, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Oujda?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $953 in Oujda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Oujda?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Oujda, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $197 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Oujda?
Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $99 in Oujda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Oujda?
Groceries cost about 29% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Oujda?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Oujda, where all-in costs run around $636, than in Chiang Mai at $935. In Oujda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Oujda – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Oujda?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Oujda?
If budget matters most, go with Oujda. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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