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 $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $645 in Taroudant, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,032 in Taroudant, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,419 in Taroudant, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 35% 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 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$3.80 MAD 35.06

-47.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$33.09 MAD 305

-44.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$7.12 MAD 65.7

7.44%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$1.47 MAD 13.54

30.61%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$0.54 MAD 4.95

55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.35 MAD 3.27

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$5.61 MAD 51.8

-60.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$6.26 MAD 57.8

-39.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$0.74 MAD 6.87

121.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$0.56 MAD 5.21

189.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.52 MAD 14.05

-24.34%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$1.60 MAD 14.80

21.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$9.50 MAD 87.7

67.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$2.60 MAD 23.98

19.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$10.99 MAD 101

0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$1.58 MAD 14.54

71.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$0.74 MAD 6.84

59.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$0.97 MAD 8.95

76.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$0.88 MAD 8.15

82.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$0.74 MAD 6.81

87.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$0.67 MAD 6.16

71.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$0.40 MAD 3.67

77.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.54 MAD 4.96

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$4.32 MAD 39.86

5.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$7.94 MAD 73.3

137.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.60 MAD 24.03

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$2.96 MAD 27.30

8.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.48 MAD 4.40

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$16.27 MAD 150

16.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$0.42 MAD 3.87

235.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$0.31 MAD 2.89

319.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$5.41 MAD 49.96

51.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.53 MAD 14.13

-19.61%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$36.6K MAD 337.8K

-42.15%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$30.0K MAD 276.9K

-25.64%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$28.54 MAD 263

144.81%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$5.52 MAD 50.9

154.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$36.24 MAD 334

-51.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$16.28 MAD 150

154.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$23.52 MAD 217

-71.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$6.59 MAD 60.9

-12.90%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$113 MAD 1,041

165.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$6,294 MAD 58.1K

138.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$13.03 MAD 120

320.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$50.1 MAD 462

-47.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$54.2 MAD 500

56.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$44.01 MAD 406

58.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$282 MAD 2,602

51.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$173 MAD 1,593

39.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$512 MAD 4,728

58.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$307 MAD 2,833

62.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$1,630 MAD 15.0K

24.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$971 MAD 8,960

56.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$478 MAD 4,416

33.59%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Taroudant: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $282 in Taroudant. 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 34% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $33 in Taroudant. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $167 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 35% 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $967 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $113 in Taroudant. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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 $872 in Chiang Mai and $645 in Taroudant, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Taroudant costs $645 versus $872 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.