Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sidi Kacem Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sidi Kacem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $726 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,130 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,533 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Sidi Kacem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sidi Kacem are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sidi Kacem 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.27 MAD 39.46

-53.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$30.29 MAD 280

-37.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.02 MAD 64.9

10.40%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.65 MAD 15.24

16.36%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.68 MAD 6.25

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.32 MAD 3.00

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.83 MAD 35.40

-42.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.26 MAD 30.12

12.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.75 MAD 6.92

120.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.63 MAD 5.87

158.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.09 MAD 10.07

9.17%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.24 MAD 20.69

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.88 MAD 82.1

79.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.73 MAD 34.55

-18.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.89 MAD 73.0

37.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.63 MAD 5.81

338.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.91 MAD 8.41

29.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.54 MAD 4.98

203.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.54 MAD 4.98

181.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.46 MAD 4.27

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.31 MAD 2.91

283.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.23 MAD 2.13

204.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.62 MAD 5.70

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.66 MAD 24.61

72.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.36 MAD 58.8

160.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.53 MAD 14.17

19.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.28 MAD 30.31

-2.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.51 MAD 4.71

72.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$16.34 MAD 151

14.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.57 MAD 5.31

138.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.52 MAD 4.80

157.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.32 MAD 39.92

81.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.36 MAD 12.56

-9.56%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$37.8K MAD 350.1K

-42.87%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$23.9K MAD 220.8K

-5.53%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$82.2 MAD 761

-14.22%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$11.19 MAD 104

22.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$38.96 MAD 360

-55.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$24.06 MAD 223

71.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$22.93 MAD 212

-69.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.31 MAD 67.6

-21.07%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$99.8 MAD 923

207.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,347 MAD 58.7K

130.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$30.48 MAD 282

83.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$45.98 MAD 425

-43.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$87.0 MAD 805

-1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$82.3 MAD 762

-12.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$279 MAD 2,583

53.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$171 MAD 1,584

39.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$505 MAD 4,672

61.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$307 MAD 2,837

66.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,601 MAD 14.8K

23.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$943 MAD 8,722

57.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.35

14.94%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sidi Kacem: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $279 in Sidi Kacem. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Sidi Kacem. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $147 in Sidi Kacem – so Sidi Kacem 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 Sidi Kacem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Sidi Kacem, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,090 in Sidi Kacem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Kacem, 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 $99.8 in Sidi Kacem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $726 in Sidi Kacem, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sidi Kacem costs $726 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 Sidi Kacem. 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.