Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Taghazout Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Taghazout

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $720 in Taghazout, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,134 in Taghazout, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,548 in Taghazout, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.94 MAD 36.76

-50.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$25.39 MAD 237

-27.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.71 MAD 62.6

11.48%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.70 MAD 15.87

18.82%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.63 MAD 5.84

34.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.35 MAD 3.28

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$3.94 MAD 36.75

-45.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.74 MAD 34.88

-4.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.90 MAD 8.36

83.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.49 MAD 4.59

220.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.76 MAD 16.44

-32.39%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.00 MAD 18.62

-3.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$9.87 MAD 92.0

64.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.94 MAD 55.4

-49.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.22 MAD 105

-2.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.43 MAD 13.32

89.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.37 MAD 12.76

-14.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.84 MAD 7.81

101.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.86 MAD 8.01

86.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.71 MAD 6.63

94.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.73 MAD 6.85

64.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.39 MAD 3.67

71.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.59 MAD 5.52

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.36 MAD 40.70

6.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.85 MAD 82.6

99.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.73 MAD 25.42

-31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.84 MAD 26.47

16.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.47 MAD 4.37

87.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$16.67 MAD 155

16.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.57 MAD 5.29

138.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.51 MAD 4.77

162.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.34 MAD 40.46

89.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.58 MAD 14.71

-22.78%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$36.8K MAD 343.3K

-42.00%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$29.0K MAD 270.7K

-22.38%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$34.60 MAD 323

104.25%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$11.10 MAD 104

26.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$40.28 MAD 376

-56.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$24.13 MAD 225

74.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$23.25 MAD 217

-70.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.69 MAD 62.4

-11.51%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$113 MAD 1,053

173.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$5,359 MAD 50.0K

177.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$39.94 MAD 372

39.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$45.60 MAD 425

-42.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$87.1 MAD 812

-4.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$79.2 MAD 738

-11.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$282 MAD 2,628

53.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$175 MAD 1,631

36.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$512 MAD 4,770

60.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$307 MAD 2,864

66.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,162 MAD 10.8K

64.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$850 MAD 7,928

72.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

5.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Taghazout: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $282 in Taghazout. 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Taghazout. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $194 in Taghazout – so Taghazout 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 Taghazout: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Taghazout, 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 $1,079 in Taghazout. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taghazout, 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 $113 in Taghazout. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $720 in Taghazout, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Taghazout costs $720 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 Taghazout. 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.