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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $572 per month in El Kef vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $900 per month in El Kef vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,228 per month in El Kef vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

El Kef is about 40% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both El Kef and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – El Kef 58% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 TND 10.16

$2.08 ฿68.5

68.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.57 TND 39.24

$19.64 ฿646

-30.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 TND 14.54

$5.65 ฿186

-10.97%

Cappuccino

$0.67 TND 1.93

$1.81 ฿59.3

-62.98%

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

$0.55 TND 1.58

$0.71 ฿23.44

-22.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 TND 0.66

$0.32 ฿10.38

-28.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.90 TND 2.61

$2.24 ฿73.5

-59.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 TND 2.89

$3.63 ฿119

-72.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.44 TND 1.28

$1.96 ฿64.4

-77.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 TND 0.73

$1.50 ฿49.38

-83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 TND 4.04

$1.34 ฿43.92

4.48%

Eggs

$1.50 TND 4.35

$2.26 ฿74.4

-33.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.63 TND 36.52

$16.26 ฿534

-22.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 TND 16.25

$2.95 ฿97.1

90.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 TND 40.47

$9.94 ฿327

40.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 TND 5.18

$2.57 ฿84.5

-30.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 TND 4.88

$1.06 ฿34.72

59.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 TND 3.03

$1.61 ฿53.0

-34.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 TND 1.74

$1.52 ฿49.96

-60.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 TND 1.14

$1.27 ฿41.76

-69.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.18 TND 0.52

$1.07 ฿35.05

-83.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 TND 1.58

$0.72 ฿23.67

-23.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 TND 0.93

$0.51 ฿16.72

-37.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 TND 9.75

$4.19 ฿138

-19.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.55 TND 13.17

$17.87 ฿587

-74.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 TND 2.04

$1.69 ฿55.7

-57.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 TND 2.97

$2.84 ฿93.2

-63.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 TND 1.02

$0.93 ฿30.42

-62.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.46 TND 30.23

$53.9 ฿1,770

-80.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$1.23 ฿40.58

-74.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$0.58 ฿18.96

-48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 TND 22.19

$2.42 ฿79.7

216.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 TND 2.49

$1.41 ฿46.42

-39.01%

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

$40.1K TND 116.0K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

87.08%

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

$37.0K TND 107.0K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

35.33%

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

$27.75 TND 80.3

$63.7 ฿2,093

-56.42%

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

$9.54 TND 27.58

$12.85 ฿423

-25.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.54 TND 42.05

$20.22 ฿665

-28.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.43 TND 82.2

$38.74 ฿1,274

-26.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 TND 40.78

$3.97 ฿130

255.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 TND 13.26

$6.74 ฿221

-32.05%

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

$69.9 TND 202

$778 ฿25.6K

-91.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,495 TND 7,213

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-82.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.03 TND 69.5

$54.3 ฿1,785

-55.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.35 TND 131

$25.45 ฿836

78.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.85 TND 121

$94.3 ฿3,101

-55.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.2 TND 192

$73.4 ฿2,414

-9.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 TND 642

$490 ฿16.1K

-54.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 TND 472

$289 ฿9,510

-43.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 TND 1,130

$894 ฿29.4K

-56.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 TND 827

$517 ฿17.0K

-44.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$968 TND 2,799

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-50.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$648 TND 1,874

$1,477 ฿48.5K

-56.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 TND 488

$602 ฿19.8K

-71.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

5.57

144.17%

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

Last update for El Kef: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $222 in El Kef versus $490 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 257% 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 $14.00 in El Kef versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $240 – making El Kef the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kef vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than El Kef, 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 $859 per month in El Kef and $1,421 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 Kef, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $69.9 per month in El Kef and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in El Kef, where all-in costs run around $572, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In El Kef it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Kef costs $572 versus $947 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 Kef. 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.