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 $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $681 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,012 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,342 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Sidi Kacem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sidi Kacem are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Sidi Kacem 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$3.17 MAD 29.31

-33.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$19.24 MAD 178

2.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$8.85 MAD 81.8

-33.90%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$1.85 MAD 17.08

-4.86%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.78 MAD 7.17

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.33 MAD 3.07

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.78 MAD 25.65

-11.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$3.20 MAD 29.52

21.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$0.79 MAD 7.26

140.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$0.28 MAD 2.62

496.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.53 MAD 14.16

-11.76%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.79 MAD 16.55

19.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$5.93 MAD 54.8

167.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$3.96 MAD 36.62

-28.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$9.11 MAD 84.1

15.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$1.38 MAD 12.70

72.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.50 MAD 13.89

-28.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$0.94 MAD 8.64

61.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$0.62 MAD 5.72

141.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$0.57 MAD 5.30

124.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$0.48 MAD 4.43

129.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.33 MAD 3.05

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.61 MAD 5.65

-19.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.59 MAD 33.13

18.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$6.49 MAD 60.0

158.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.84 MAD 17.03

-9.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$1.71 MAD 15.82

64.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$0.52 MAD 4.80

73.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

$19.26 MAD 178

185.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$0.72 MAD 6.67

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$1.13 MAD 10.45

-52.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$3.53 MAD 32.62

-32.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.27 MAD 11.75

12.60%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$35.5K MAD 328.2K

-40.69%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$31.6K MAD 291.8K

-14.13%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$45.83 MAD 423

41.26%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$11.23 MAD 104

17.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$42.96 MAD 397

-54.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$26.95 MAD 249

46.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

$18.77 MAD 173

-79.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$3.80 MAD 35.13

74.21%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$49.79 MAD 460

1517.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$5,983 MAD 55.3K

152.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$18.31 MAD 169

199.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$48.58 MAD 449

-47.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$57.9 MAD 535

58.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$68.9 MAD 636

8.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$263 MAD 2,427

77.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$170 MAD 1,572

65.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$451 MAD 4,166

97.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$249 MAD 2,297

109.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$1,127 MAD 10.4K

76.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$898 MAD 8,291

62.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

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: August 17, 2026

Last update for Sidi Kacem: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $263 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Sidi Kacem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $149 – 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 35% 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,022 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 $805 per month in Chiang Mai and $49.79 in Sidi Kacem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% 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 $681, than in Chiang Mai at $920. 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 $681 versus $920 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.