Cost of Living Comparison Between Essaouira and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Essaouira and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $810 per month in Essaouira vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,226 per month in Essaouira vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,642 per month in Essaouira vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Essaouira is about 6% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Essaouira and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Essaouira 40% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 MAD 39.86

$1.94 ฿63.5

123.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.74 MAD 227

$18.64 ฿609

32.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 MAD 45.88

$7.82 ฿255

-36.19%

Cappuccino

$1.84 MAD 16.91

$1.95 ฿63.8

-5.64%

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

$0.45 MAD 4.13

$0.85 ฿27.77

-47.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.36

$0.35 ฿11.58

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 MAD 35.40

$2.13 ฿69.6

80.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MAD 32.83

$3.73 ฿122

-4.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 MAD 7.80

$1.71 ฿56.0

-50.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MAD 4.90

$1.63 ฿53.2

-67.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MAD 15.57

$1.14 ฿37.15

48.25%

Eggs

$1.80 MAD 16.52

$1.93 ฿63.1

-6.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 MAD 88.1

$16.21 ฿530

-40.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MAD 49.08

$3.12 ฿102

71.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 MAD 106

$10.90 ฿356

5.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 MAD 12.55

$2.75 ฿90.0

-50.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.70

$1.21 ฿39.52

4.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.59

$1.62 ฿53.0

-55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MAD 8.56

$1.59 ฿51.8

-41.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.36

$1.40 ฿45.70

-50.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.47

$1.17 ฿38.17

-21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.60

$0.66 ฿21.60

-40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MAD 4.92

$0.53 ฿17.22

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MAD 37.43

$4.69 ฿153

-13.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 MAD 60.8

$18.66 ฿609

-64.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MAD 17.76

$1.80 ฿58.8

7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MAD 19.83

$3.23 ฿106

-33.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 MAD 8.25

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.40 MAD 151

$19.21 ฿628

-14.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MAD 6.26

$1.41 ฿45.91

-51.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.72

$1.29 ฿42.12

-60.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 MAD 79.8

$7.84 ฿256

10.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.54

$1.27 ฿41.58

24.41%

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

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

76.80%

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

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-5.29%

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

$28.04 MAD 258

$69.1 ฿2,256

-59.40%

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

$13.82 MAD 127

$14.08 ฿460

-1.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 MAD 263

$18.00 ฿588

59.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.11 MAD 203

$41.06 ฿1,341

-46.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.63 MAD 217

$6.96 ฿227

239.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 MAD 61.7

$5.92 ฿193

13.34%

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

$75.6 MAD 695

$299 ฿9,766

-74.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-86.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.43 MAD 289

$54.7 ฿1,787

-42.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MAD 366

$26.77 ฿874

48.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.84 MAD 449

$85.0 ฿2,776

-42.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.20 MAD 406

$70.6 ฿2,306

-37.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MAD 3,563

$428 ฿14.0K

-9.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MAD 3,173

$237 ฿7,752

45.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 MAD 7,308

$801 ฿26.2K

-0.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 MAD 5,011

$515 ฿16.8K

5.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,462

$617 ฿20.2K

-56.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

10.00%

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

Last update for Essaouira: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Essaouira 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 130% 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 $25.00 in Essaouira versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Essaouira vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Essaouira 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Essaouira, 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 $1,215 per month in Essaouira 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 Essaouira, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $75.6 per month in Essaouira 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 38% 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 $810 in Essaouira and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Essaouira costs $810 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 Essaouira. 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.