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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $650 in Taroudant, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,042 in Taroudant, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,433 in Taroudant, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Taroudant, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Taroudant are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Taroudant 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$3.78 MAD 35.39

-46.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$33.52 MAD 314

-44.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$7.10 MAD 66.5

10.42%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$1.41 MAD 13.20

36.88%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$0.57 MAD 5.38

45.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$0.32 MAD 3.03

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$5.55 MAD 51.9

-60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$6.17 MAD 57.7

-38.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$0.72 MAD 6.74

129.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$0.53 MAD 4.99

192.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$1.57 MAD 14.65

-24.84%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$1.63 MAD 15.21

23.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$9.32 MAD 87.2

73.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$2.63 MAD 24.64

15.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$11.07 MAD 104

-2.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$1.55 MAD 14.50

72.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$0.76 MAD 7.10

60.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$0.90 MAD 8.44

81.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$0.90 MAD 8.40

70.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$0.79 MAD 7.43

69.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$0.72 MAD 6.74

68.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$0.40 MAD 3.71

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$0.54 MAD 5.04

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$4.27 MAD 39.92

9.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$8.10 MAD 75.8

118.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$2.72 MAD 25.41

-31.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$3.05 MAD 28.51

5.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

$0.50 MAD 4.72

78.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$16.40 MAD 153

14.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$0.45 MAD 4.22

213.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

$0.31 MAD 2.90

316.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$5.52 MAD 51.6

41.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.57 MAD 14.71

-17.83%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$36.6K MAD 342.2K

-40.49%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$29.9K MAD 280.1K

-27.56%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$28.83 MAD 270

142.73%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$5.40 MAD 50.5

162.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$36.02 MAD 337

-51.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

$16.51 MAD 154

152.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$23.30 MAD 218

-70.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$6.72 MAD 62.9

-13.99%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$111 MAD 1,041

169.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$6,452 MAD 60.4K

125.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$13.30 MAD 124

316.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$50.1 MAD 469

-47.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$54.7 MAD 512

55.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$43.43 MAD 406

62.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$280 MAD 2,621

51.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

$171 MAD 1,597

37.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$499 MAD 4,671

60.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$305 MAD 2,852

69.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$1,303 MAD 12.2K

47.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$966 MAD 9,034

50.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

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 20, 2026

Last update for Taroudant: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $280 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 $34.00 in Taroudant. Groceries tell a different story – $242 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 30% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $975 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 $300 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 44% 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 $847 in Chiang Mai and $650 in Taroudant, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Taroudant costs $650 versus $847 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.