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 $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $651 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $971 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,291 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Sidi Kacem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sidi Kacem are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Sidi Kacem 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$2.98 MAD 29.74

-28.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿653

$17.82 MAD 178

8.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$8.14 MAD 81.3

-32.80%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.7

$1.77 MAD 17.64

-5.08%

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

$0.66 ฿22.22

$0.72 MAD 7.18

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.58

$0.33 MAD 3.25

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.5

$2.66 MAD 26.59

-9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿126

$3.16 MAD 31.51

18.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.3

$0.76 MAD 7.60

171.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.06

$0.27 MAD 2.70

440.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.34

$1.47 MAD 14.65

-8.16%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.4

$1.67 MAD 16.64

35.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿549

$5.74 MAD 57.4

184.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.8

$3.78 MAD 37.70

-28.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿310

$8.79 MAD 87.8

4.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.6

$1.38 MAD 13.83

73.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.85

$1.46 MAD 14.62

-28.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.84 MAD 8.34

90.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.64

$0.58 MAD 5.83

148.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.84

$0.60 MAD 5.96

116.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.50

$0.45 MAD 4.54

146.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.69

$0.32 MAD 3.22

118.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.09

$0.58 MAD 5.82

-12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿139

$3.40 MAD 33.92

21.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿599

$6.25 MAD 62.4

184.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿55.0

$1.71 MAD 17.12

-4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.6

$1.68 MAD 16.76

70.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.92

$0.53 MAD 5.24

62.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,790

$18.95 MAD 189

180.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿41.05

$0.71 MAD 7.06

71.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.92

$1.12 MAD 11.21

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.9

$3.32 MAD 33.14

-30.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.22 MAD 12.16

22.95%

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

$20.9K ฿702.3K

$34.5K MAD 344.5K

-39.55%

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

$26.7K ฿900.1K

$31.0K MAD 309.7K

-13.81%

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

$61.3 ฿2,063

$43.86 MAD 438

39.67%

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

$12.50 ฿421

$10.70 MAD 107

16.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿686

$40.77 MAD 407

-50.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,277

$25.83 MAD 258

46.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$21.23 MAD 212

-82.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

$3.81 MAD 38.05

73.23%

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

$774 ฿26.1K

$47.09 MAD 470

1543.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿486.0K

$5,739 MAD 57.3K

151.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,845

$18.01 MAD 180

204.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿851

$47.38 MAD 473

-46.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,049

$54.7 MAD 546

65.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,467

$66.8 MAD 667

9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$269 MAD 2,681

70.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,891

$169 MAD 1,691

73.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

$474 MAD 4,734

93.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.6K

$266 MAD 2,658

107.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.6K

$1,175 MAD 11.7K

63.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.6K

$828 MAD 8,270

74.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.5

1.27%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sidi Kacem: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $269 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 $18.00 in Sidi Kacem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $143 – making Sidi Kacem 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 Sidi Kacem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 39% 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 $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $977 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 $774 per month in Chiang Mai and $47.09 in Sidi Kacem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% 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 Sidi Kacem, where all-in costs run around $651, than in Chiang Mai at $906. In Sidi Kacem 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. Sidi Kacem costs $651 versus $906 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.