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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $722 in Sidi Slimane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,140 in Sidi Slimane, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,558 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 35% lower, Sidi Slimane 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.23 MAD 38.99

-54.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$23.87 MAD 220

-21.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.82 MAD 62.8

14.66%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.67 MAD 15.35

16.77%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.58 MAD 5.36

46.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.36 MAD 3.28

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.78 MAD 34.83

-43.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.73 MAD 34.39

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.84 MAD 7.74

103.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.52 MAD 4.79

213.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.70 MAD 15.67

-32.94%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.01 MAD 18.54

-3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.97 MAD 91.8

62.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.16 MAD 56.8

-49.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.97 MAD 101

-0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.35 MAD 12.41

103.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.29 MAD 11.90

-6.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.76 MAD 7.01

113.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.79 MAD 7.23

101.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.67 MAD 6.21

108.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.76 MAD 7.04

53.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.42 MAD 3.90

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.62 MAD 5.71

-14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.15 MAD 38.26

13.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.88 MAD 81.8

110.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.69 MAD 24.81

-33.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.88 MAD 26.53

12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.51 MAD 4.72

76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$16.66 MAD 153

15.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.58 MAD 5.35

143.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.48 MAD 4.41

168.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.48 MAD 41.30

75.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.52 MAD 13.99

-16.45%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$37.7K MAD 346.8K

-43.49%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.2K MAD 268.5K

-23.81%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$35.89 MAD 331

92.45%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$11.12 MAD 102

26.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$39.13 MAD 360

-54.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$23.97 MAD 221

71.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$23.15 MAD 213

-69.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.72 MAD 61.9

-11.90%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$106 MAD 978

181.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,513 MAD 32.4K

325.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$38.89 MAD 358

40.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$40.73 MAD 375

-34.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$88.2 MAD 813

-3.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$72.1 MAD 664

-2.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$276 MAD 2,541

55.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$176 MAD 1,625

34.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$513 MAD 4,722

56.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$303 MAD 2,795

69.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,542 MAD 14.2K

28.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$915 MAD 8,428

61.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sidi Slimane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $276 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Sidi Slimane. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $193 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,083 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $106 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $722 in Sidi Slimane, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sidi Slimane costs $722 versus $866 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.