Cost of Living Comparison Between El Jadida and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between El Jadida and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $647 per month in El Jadida vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $978 per month in El Jadida vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,310 per month in El Jadida vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

El Jadida is about 25% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both El Jadida and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – El Jadida 52% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.78 MAD 34.77

$1.94 ฿63.5

94.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 MAD 180

$18.64 ฿609

5.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 MAD 61.5

$7.82 ฿255

-14.45%

Cappuccino

$1.52 MAD 13.95

$1.95 ฿63.8

-22.05%

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

$0.46 MAD 4.24

$0.85 ฿27.77

-45.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 2.93

$0.35 ฿11.58

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 MAD 26.03

$2.13 ฿69.6

32.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 MAD 29.48

$3.73 ฿122

-13.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.75

$1.71 ฿56.0

-50.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 MAD 4.02

$1.63 ฿53.2

-73.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MAD 16.21

$1.14 ฿37.15

54.39%

Eggs

$1.78 MAD 16.38

$1.93 ฿63.1

-7.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.88 MAD 44.88

$16.21 ฿530

-69.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 MAD 35.53

$3.12 ฿102

24.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.18 MAD 75.2

$10.90 ฿356

-24.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 MAD 14.36

$2.75 ฿90.0

-43.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 MAD 11.76

$1.21 ฿39.52

5.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.58

$1.62 ฿53.0

-55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.17

$1.59 ฿51.8

-50.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.79

$1.40 ฿45.70

-47.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 MAD 4.61

$1.17 ฿38.17

-57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MAD 3.04

$0.66 ฿21.60

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MAD 5.20

$0.53 ฿17.22

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MAD 38.45

$4.69 ฿153

-10.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.47 MAD 41.04

$18.66 ฿609

-76.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 MAD 21.83

$1.80 ฿58.8

32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MAD 26.96

$3.23 ฿106

-9.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.69

$0.90 ฿29.26

-43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.35 MAD 242

$19.21 ฿628

37.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 MAD 9.91

$1.41 ฿45.91

-23.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$1.29 ฿42.12

-62.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 MAD 30.60

$7.84 ฿256

-57.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MAD 13.91

$1.27 ฿41.58

18.90%

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

$32.5K MAD 298.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

52.77%

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

$30.1K MAD 276.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

35.35%

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

$32.07 MAD 295

$69.1 ฿2,256

-53.57%

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

$11.03 MAD 101

$14.08 ฿460

-21.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.95 MAD 303

$18.00 ฿588

83.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.12 MAD 249

$41.06 ฿1,341

-33.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.45 MAD 160

$6.96 ฿227

150.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 MAD 60.6

$5.92 ฿193

11.32%

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

$88.7 MAD 815

$299 ฿9,766

-70.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,576 MAD 23.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-82.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.67 MAD 374

$54.7 ฿1,787

-25.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 MAD 373

$26.77 ฿874

51.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 MAD 628

$85.0 ฿2,776

-19.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.3 MAD 563

$70.6 ฿2,306

-13.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 MAD 2,052

$428 ฿14.0K

-47.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 MAD 1,592

$237 ฿7,752

-27.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MAD 3,493

$801 ฿26.2K

-52.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MAD 2,225

$515 ฿16.8K

-53.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,660 MAD 15.3K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-15.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$840 MAD 7,721

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-43.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 MAD 4,463

$617 ฿20.2K

-21.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for El Jadida: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $223 in El Jadida versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 27% 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 $20.00 in El Jadida versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $146 in El Jadida vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so El Jadida 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

El Jadida vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than El Jadida, 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 $970 per month in El Jadida and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $88.7 per month in El Jadida and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $647 in El Jadida and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Jadida costs $647 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 El Jadida. 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.