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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $732 in Taghazout, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,156 in Taghazout, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,580 in Taghazout, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Taghazout, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Taghazout are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Taghazout 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.87 MAD 35.61

-49.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$24.56 MAD 226

-24.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.62 MAD 60.9

18.13%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.67 MAD 15.34

16.77%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.62 MAD 5.74

37.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.33 MAD 3.00

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.74 MAD 34.40

-43.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.73 MAD 34.31

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.91 MAD 8.37

87.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.53 MAD 4.84

207.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.77 MAD 16.24

-35.59%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.99 MAD 18.27

-3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.90 MAD 91.0

63.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.08 MAD 55.9

-48.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.23 MAD 103

-2.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.42 MAD 13.06

93.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.32 MAD 12.15

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.83 MAD 7.59

95.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.79 MAD 7.25

101.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.68 MAD 6.24

105.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.74 MAD 6.79

58.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.39 MAD 3.62

69.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.64 MAD 5.84

-17.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.22 MAD 38.79

11.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.62 MAD 79.2

116.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.69 MAD 24.71

-33.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.87 MAD 26.34

12.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.50 MAD 4.60

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$16.40 MAD 151

17.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.56 MAD 5.18

151.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.52 MAD 4.77

148.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.50 MAD 41.32

74.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.60 MAD 14.71

-20.63%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$37.7K MAD 346.3K

-43.53%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.0K MAD 266.3K

-23.34%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$34.13 MAD 314

102.37%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$11.23 MAD 103

25.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$40.08 MAD 368

-55.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$23.78 MAD 219

72.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$23.52 MAD 216

-70.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.62 MAD 60.8

-10.57%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$114 MAD 1,048

162.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,495 MAD 50.5K

172.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$39.90 MAD 367

37.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$45.79 MAD 421

-41.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$86.9 MAD 798

-2.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$80.6 MAD 740

-12.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$282 MAD 2,596

51.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$176 MAD 1,622

34.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$501 MAD 4,609

59.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$306 MAD 2,814

68.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,159 MAD 10.7K

70.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$859 MAD 7,890

71.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Taghazout: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Taghazout. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $195 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 18% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,099 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $114 in Taghazout. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $732 in Taghazout, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Taghazout costs $732 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 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.