Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Shubra Al Khaymah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Shubra Al Khaymah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $942 per month in Chiang Mai vs $453 in Shubra Al Khaymah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in Chiang Mai vs $735 in Shubra Al Khaymah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,017 in Shubra Al Khaymah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 108% more than Shubra Al Khaymah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Shubra Al Khaymah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Shubra Al Khaymah 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.9

$4.18 E£216

-50.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ฿659

$16.48 E£850

20.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 ฿185

$4.66 E£240

19.74%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿57.5

$1.33 E£68.7

30.83%

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

$0.72 ฿23.82

$0.34 E£17.29

111.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.59

$0.13 E£6.75

146.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿74.5

$1.32 E£67.9

70.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿126

$2.32 E£120

64.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿66.8

$0.84 E£43.24

140.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.0

$0.75 E£38.78

109.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.21

$0.60 E£30.94

133.33%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿71.3

$1.15 E£59.5

86.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿518

$3.83 E£198

308.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.6

$4.50 E£232

-34.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ฿314

$9.48 E£489

0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ฿86.2

$1.54 E£79.2

68.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿35.80

$0.76 E£39.43

42.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.7

$0.53 E£27.41

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.09

$0.35 E£17.99

314.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.26

$0.25 E£12.76

412.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿36.78

$0.31 E£15.89

258.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.04

$0.29 E£14.99

151.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.54

$0.18 E£9.18

177.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿141

$1.95 E£101

118.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿585

$5.87 E£303

201.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿55.7

$1.22 E£62.9

37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿92.8

$2.10 E£108

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.64

$0.22 E£11.23

295.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,794

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.15

$0.41 E£20.90

195.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.84

$0.17 E£8.76

217.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.0

$1.57 E£81.0

52.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.46

$0.43 E£22.13

239.53%

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

$21.0K ฿695.7K

$32.8K E£1.7M

-35.84%

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

$26.7K ฿883.8K

$28.1K E£1.4M

-4.89%

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

$62.1 ฿2,055

$13.89 E£716

346.87%

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

$12.93 ฿428

$7.11 E£367

81.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ฿682

$13.37 E£690

54.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 ฿1,298

$17.80 E£918

120.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ฿216

$2.92 E£151

123.29%

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

$803 ฿26.6K

$81.8 E£4,219

881.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿486.6K

$2,107 E£108.7K

597.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,850

$32.33 E£1,667

72.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ฿845

$44.46 E£2,293

-42.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ฿3,015

$117 E£6,020

-21.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,427

$54.1 E£2,788

35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$131 E£6,765

268.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,542

$75.8 E£3,909

280.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ฿29.3K

$257 E£13.3K

244.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ฿17.3K

$149 E£7,694

250.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿65.9K

$765 E£39.4K

160.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,440 ฿47.7K

$413 E£21.3K

248.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

16.21

-65.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Last update for Shubra Al Khaymah: September 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $131 in Shubra Al Khaymah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Shubra Al Khaymah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $128 – making Shubra Al Khaymah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Shubra Al Khaymah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 108% more than Shubra Al Khaymah, 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 $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai and $680 in Shubra Al Khaymah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $16.00 in Shubra Al Khaymah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shubra Al Khaymah, where all-in costs run around $453, than in Chiang Mai at $942. In Shubra Al Khaymah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shubra Al Khaymah costs $453 versus $942 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 Shubra Al Khaymah. 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.