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 $552 per month in El Kef vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $878 per month in El Kef vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,204 per month in El Kef vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

El Kef is about 36% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both El Kef and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – El Kef 59% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.35 TND 9.49

$1.96 ฿65.9

70.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.69 TND 38.80

$18.35 ฿617

-25.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.41 TND 9.66

$7.48 ฿252

-54.41%

Cappuccino

$0.71 TND 2.02

$2.02 ฿67.8

-64.85%

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

$0.54 TND 1.52

$0.85 ฿28.52

-36.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.71

$0.36 ฿11.97

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 TND 2.46

$2.14 ฿71.9

-59.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 TND 2.97

$3.59 ฿121

-70.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.44 TND 1.25

$1.65 ฿55.5

-73.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 TND 0.47

$1.57 ฿52.7

-89.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 TND 4.20

$1.19 ฿40.05

24.37%

Eggs

$1.50 TND 4.26

$1.94 ฿65.1

-22.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 TND 31.45

$16.19 ฿545

-31.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 TND 16.58

$2.99 ฿101

95.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.28 TND 37.62

$10.94 ฿368

21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 TND 6.34

$2.71 ฿91.2

-17.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 TND 4.69

$1.17 ฿39.27

41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 TND 2.83

$1.69 ฿56.8

-40.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 TND 1.65

$1.60 ฿54.0

-63.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 TND 1.21

$1.38 ฿46.56

-68.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.18 TND 0.51

$1.20 ฿40.47

-85.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 TND 1.46

$0.67 ฿22.51

-22.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.82

$0.56 ฿18.74

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 TND 9.64

$4.64 ฿156

-26.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.33 TND 12.27

$17.62 ฿593

-75.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 TND 1.95

$1.86 ฿62.6

-62.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 TND 2.68

$3.30 ฿111

-71.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 TND 1.00

$0.88 ฿29.70

-60.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 TND 28.66

$19.34 ฿651

-47.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.85

$1.36 ฿45.92

-77.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 TND 0.83

$1.34 ฿45.00

-78.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 TND 20.90

$8.21 ฿276

-10.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.34

$1.22 ฿41.20

-32.79%

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

$35.9K TND 101.7K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

68.10%

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

$34.1K TND 96.7K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

51.49%

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

$27.36 TND 77.5

$70.7 ฿2,378

-61.28%

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

$9.88 TND 27.98

$14.04 ฿472

-29.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.28 TND 40.45

$17.49 ฿589

-18.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.03 TND 82.3

$42.15 ฿1,418

-31.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.50 TND 35.42

$6.88 ฿231

81.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 TND 13.03

$5.92 ฿199

-22.30%

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

$67.0 TND 190

$309 ฿10.4K

-78.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,509 TND 7,108

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-83.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.60 TND 66.9

$55.8 ฿1,876

-57.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.81 TND 127

$26.11 ฿879

71.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.60 TND 115

$83.0 ฿2,793

-51.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.5 TND 183

$70.5 ฿2,371

-8.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 TND 559

$432 ฿14.5K

-54.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 TND 377

$239 ฿8,040

-44.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 TND 1,086

$822 ฿27.7K

-53.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 TND 755

$512 ฿17.2K

-47.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$829 TND 2,350

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-56.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$560 TND 1,587

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-61.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 TND 479

$579 ฿19.5K

-70.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

172.00%

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

Last update for El Kef: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in El Kef versus $432 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 243% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $243 – 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 56% 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 $828 per month in El Kef and $1,292 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 $67.0 per month in El Kef and $309 in Chiang Mai. 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $552 in El Kef and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Kef costs $552 versus $861 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.