Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Qebele

For one person, living is cheaper in Qebele: $628 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Qebele
Learn more

Qebele Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Qebele

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

$628

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Qebele actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $628 in Qebele, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Qebele $628

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,127 in Qebele, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Qebele $1,127

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,627 in Qebele, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Qebele $1,627

Chiang Mai costs about 49% more than Qebele, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Qebele are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Qebele 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$4.85 ₼8.24

-56.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

$17.90 ₼30.41

4.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.54 ₼4.32

-34.65%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$0.58 ₼0.98

12.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$0.30 ₼0.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

$1.16 ₼1.97

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$1.68 ₼2.85

118.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$1.34 ₼2.28

50.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$0.47 ₼0.80

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$1.36 ₼2.31

2.21%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$1.43 ₼2.44

65.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

$5.65 ₼9.60

192.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

$3.78 ₼6.43

-29.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$11.06 ₼18.79

-18.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

$0.85 ₼1.44

182.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

$1.87 ₼3.18

-44.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

$1.74 ₼2.96

-4.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$1.67 ₼2.83

-6.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

$0.50 ₼0.86

148.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

$0.37 ₼0.62

194.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

$0.51 ₼0.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.58 ₼4.38

59.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

$8.07 ₼13.71

122.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$1.62 ₼2.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

$2.45 ₼4.17

15.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.30 ₼0.52

210.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

$58.4 ₼99.2

-9.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$2.17 ₼3.68

-45.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

$0.23 ₼0.39

-26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

$1.20 ₼2.03

50.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.25

$0.68 ₼1.16

116.18%

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

$21.0K ฿702.6K

$13.1K ₼22.2K

60.92%

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$14.7K ₼24.9K

80.69%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

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

$11.60 ฿388

$14.54 ₼24.71

-20.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$14.99 ₼25.47

35.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

$17.34 ₼29.48

118.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$29.44 ₼50.0

-87.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$145 ₼247

400.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$23.13 ₼39.30

131.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

$46.77 ₼79.5

-46.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$89.2 ₼152

1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$118 ₼200

-38.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$210 ₼356

129.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$145 ₼247

113.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

$1,000 ₼1,699

5.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$473 ₼804

39.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

$709 ₼1,205

240.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

$295 ₼502

445.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$235 ₼399

153.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-60.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Qebele: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Qebele

$145 23.1% 53.1% $165

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Qebele

$167 * 26.5% 29.6% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Qebele

$125 19.8% 15% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Qebele

$30 * 4.7% 68.7% $65

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Qebele

$82 * 13.1% 7% $5.4

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Qebele

$63 10% 7.2% $4.2

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Qebele

$17 * 2.8% 65.9% $34

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $210 in Qebele. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 2.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $18 in Qebele. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $167 – making Qebele the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇿 Qebele

🕒 Local time

14:18 2:18 PM

11:18 11:18 AM

3 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

11,867

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Azerbaijani Manat AZN ₼

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 AZN = 0.588 USD

1 AZN = 0.524 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AZN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.54 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Azerbaijani Manat exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.7 AZN (1 AZN = 0.588 USD). 1 EUR = 1.91 AZN (1 AZN = 0.524 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Qebele 5,420 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Qebele

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 Qebele: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 49% more than Qebele, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $942 in Qebele. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qebele, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $210 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $145 in Qebele. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Qebele, where all-in costs run around $628, than in Chiang Mai at $935. In Qebele it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qebele – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Qebele. 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.