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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $637 in Taroudant, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,028 in Taroudant, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,419 in Taroudant, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Taroudant, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Taroudant are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Taroudant 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.9

$3.82 MAD 35.38

-48.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿618

$32.56 MAD 301

-42.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$7.03 MAD 65.0

10.24%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.1

$1.44 MAD 13.35

33.33%

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

$0.79 ฿26.03

$0.56 MAD 5.22

41.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.72

$0.35 MAD 3.25

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.8

$5.45 MAD 50.4

-59.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$6.40 MAD 59.2

-42.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.3

$0.69 MAD 6.36

139.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.6

$0.53 MAD 4.86

207.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.22

$1.56 MAD 14.42

-23.72%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.7

$1.61 MAD 14.86

24.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿525

$9.61 MAD 88.9

66.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.4

$2.65 MAD 24.48

14.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$11.32 MAD 105

-4.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$1.50 MAD 13.83

84.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.77

$0.74 MAD 6.82

59.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$0.96 MAD 8.89

70.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$0.89 MAD 8.23

70.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.52

$0.76 MAD 7.01

81.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.19

$0.69 MAD 6.35

72.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.08

$0.43 MAD 3.97

62.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.30

$0.49 MAD 4.57

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿150

$4.38 MAD 40.49

4.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿544

$8.12 MAD 75.1

103.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$2.72 MAD 25.17

-32.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$3.07 MAD 28.42

4.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.83

$0.50 MAD 4.65

76.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿615

$16.25 MAD 150

15.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.57

$0.42 MAD 3.90

223.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.05

$0.31 MAD 2.87

332.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$5.53 MAD 51.2

41.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.29

$1.59 MAD 14.74

-22.64%

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

$21.6K ฿710.8K

$36.9K MAD 341.4K

-41.42%

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

$22.5K ฿741.1K

$29.3K MAD 270.8K

-22.99%

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

$70.5 ฿2,319

$28.76 MAD 266

145.27%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$5.55 MAD 51.4

146.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$35.73 MAD 331

-51.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,359

$16.44 MAD 152

151.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

$22.93 MAD 212

-69.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$6.42 MAD 59.4

-10.12%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$111 MAD 1,026

176.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$6,383 MAD 59.0K

128.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,834

$12.98 MAD 120

329.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿861

$50.3 MAD 466

-47.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,819

$54.2 MAD 502

58.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,375

$43.74 MAD 405

65.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$276 MAD 2,557

55.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,845

$175 MAD 1,619

36.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$503 MAD 4,654

62.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$306 MAD 2,826

67.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.2K

$1,522 MAD 14.1K

30.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.8K

$985 MAD 9,114

50.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.3K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Taroudant: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $276 in Taroudant. 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 $33.00 in Taroudant. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Taroudant – so Taroudant 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 Taroudant: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Taroudant, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $955 in Taroudant. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $111 in Taroudant. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $637 in Taroudant, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Taroudant costs $637 versus $869 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 Taroudant. 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.