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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $718 in Sidi Slimane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,136 in Sidi Slimane, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,554 in Sidi Slimane, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Sidi Slimane are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sidi Slimane 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.07 MAD 38.06

-51.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$23.10 MAD 216

-20.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.58 MAD 61.6

13.68%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.70 MAD 15.93

18.82%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.59 MAD 5.48

44.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.32 MAD 3.03

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$3.90 MAD 36.52

-45.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.58 MAD 33.46

0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.89 MAD 8.32

85.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.49 MAD 4.61

220.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.78 MAD 16.66

-33.15%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.93 MAD 18.09

0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.84 MAD 92.1

64.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.07 MAD 56.8

-50.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.89 MAD 102

0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.39 MAD 13.04

94.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.31 MAD 12.25

-10.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.81 MAD 7.61

108.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.81 MAD 7.55

97.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.73 MAD 6.85

89.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.76 MAD 7.12

57.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.43 MAD 3.98

55.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.60 MAD 5.61

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.27 MAD 39.96

8.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.70 MAD 72.0

128.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.72 MAD 25.47

-31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.87 MAD 26.88

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.50 MAD 4.69

76.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$16.40 MAD 153

17.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.59 MAD 5.52

130.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.48 MAD 4.45

179.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.43 MAD 41.50

85.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.54 MAD 14.37

-20.78%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$37.1K MAD 346.9K

-42.40%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$29.2K MAD 273.0K

-22.78%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$36.78 MAD 344

92.14%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$10.85 MAD 102

29.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$38.94 MAD 364

-55.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$24.14 MAD 226

74.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$23.35 MAD 218

-70.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.69 MAD 62.6

-11.51%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$105 MAD 984

193.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,586 MAD 33.6K

314.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$39.30 MAD 368

41.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$40.99 MAD 384

-36.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$87.4 MAD 818

-4.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$71.9 MAD 673

-2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$279 MAD 2,613

54.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$175 MAD 1,638

36.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$511 MAD 4,780

60.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$301 MAD 2,818

70.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,240 MAD 11.6K

54.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$912 MAD 8,537

60.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$267 MAD 2,494

117.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

4.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sidi Slimane: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $279 in Sidi Slimane. 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 117% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Sidi Slimane. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $191 in Sidi Slimane – so Sidi Slimane 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 Slimane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Sidi Slimane, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,078 in Sidi Slimane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $105 in Sidi Slimane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $718 in Sidi Slimane, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sidi Slimane costs $718 versus $861 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 Slimane. 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.