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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $706 in Settat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,153 in Settat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,600 in Settat, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 23% more than Settat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Settat are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Settat 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$3.36 MAD 30.98

-40.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$33.47 MAD 309

-45.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$7.20 MAD 66.5

6.25%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$1.23 MAD 11.38

56.10%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$0.47 MAD 4.38

78.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.35 MAD 3.25

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$1.35 MAD 12.47

62.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$1.59 MAD 14.69

138.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$0.90 MAD 8.31

82.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$0.58 MAD 5.37

179.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.85 MAD 17.03

-37.84%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$2.10 MAD 19.37

-7.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$9.63 MAD 88.9

65.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$6.01 MAD 55.5

-48.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$11.24 MAD 104

-1.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$1.56 MAD 14.36

73.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$1.38 MAD 12.72

-14.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$0.92 MAD 8.46

85.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$0.88 MAD 8.17

82.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$0.74 MAD 6.79

87.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$0.75 MAD 6.96

53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$0.43 MAD 3.96

65.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.60 MAD 5.51

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$4.43 MAD 40.88

3.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$8.02 MAD 74.0

135.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.65 MAD 24.45

-31.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$2.98 MAD 27.47

7.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.46 MAD 4.23

91.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$16.29 MAD 150

15.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$0.74 MAD 6.82

90.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$0.48 MAD 4.44

170.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$5.42 MAD 49.99

51.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.52 MAD 14.01

-19.08%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$36.7K MAD 338.6K

-42.27%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$29.6K MAD 272.9K

-24.54%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$21.63 MAD 200

223.02%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$5.38 MAD 49.70

161.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$46.18 MAD 426

-61.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$19.07 MAD 176

117.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$23.61 MAD 218

-71.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$6.69 MAD 61.8

-14.20%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$112 MAD 1,036

166.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$6,338 MAD 58.5K

136.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$42.64 MAD 394

28.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$50.6 MAD 467

-47.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$107 MAD 987

-20.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$103 MAD 954

-32.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$277 MAD 2,558

54.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$173 MAD 1,598

39.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$509 MAD 4,698

59.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$306 MAD 2,821

63.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$483 MAD 4,456

32.39%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Settat: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $277 in Settat. 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 32% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $33 in Settat. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Settat – so Settat 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 Settat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 23% more than Settat, 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,060 in Settat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $112 in Settat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $872 in Chiang Mai and $706 in Settat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Settat costs $706 versus $872 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 Settat. 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.