Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fes and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Fes: $675 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Fes
🇲🇦 Morocco
$675
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fes and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Fes and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $675 per month in Fes vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Fes $675
  • Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,042 per month in Fes vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Fes $1,042
  • Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $1,408 per month in Fes vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Fes $1,408
  • Chiang Mai $1,914

Fes is about 28% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fes and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Fes 50% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fes
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.04 MAD 29.68
$2.26 ฿75.4
34.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.52 MAD 307
$19.18 ฿641
64.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.09 MAD 59.4
$5.59 ฿187
8.94%
Cappuccino
$1.31 MAD 12.82
$1.72 ฿57.6
-23.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 MAD 5.31
$0.64 ฿21.54
-15.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 MAD 3.75
$0.33 ฿11.18
15.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.67 MAD 35.81
$2.36 ฿78.7
55.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.20 MAD 40.98
$3.90 ฿130
7.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fes
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.79 MAD 7.72
$2.05 ฿68.6
-61.46%
White Bread (500g)
$0.54 MAD 5.26
$1.40 ฿46.70
-61.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 MAD 16.99
$1.28 ฿42.89
35.94%
Eggs
$1.87 MAD 18.27
$2.25 ฿75.3
-16.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.74 MAD 95.0
$16.94 ฿566
-42.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.44 MAD 43.30
$2.74 ฿91.6
62.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.50 MAD 92.6
$9.36 ฿313
1.50%
Apples (1kg)
$1.89 MAD 18.46
$2.40 ฿80.3
-21.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 MAD 15.31
$1.01 ฿33.92
55.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.08 MAD 10.53
$1.61 ฿53.9
-32.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.05 MAD 10.21
$1.52 ฿50.7
-30.92%
Potato (1kg)
$0.91 MAD 8.89
$1.28 ฿42.90
-28.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.05 MAD 10.27
$1.11 ฿37.22
-5.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.48 MAD 4.70
$0.72 ฿24.09
-33.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 MAD 5.51
$0.52 ฿17.54
9.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 MAD 41.98
$4.33 ฿145
-0.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.52 MAD 44.08
$17.73 ฿593
-74.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.67 MAD 26.07
$1.63 ฿54.4
63.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 MAD 30.85
$2.85 ฿95.3
10.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Fes
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.39 MAD 3.83
$0.85 ฿28.31
-54.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.14 MAD 98.9
$53.9 ฿1,801
-81.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.64 MAD 6.24
$1.17 ฿39.18
-45.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.75 MAD 7.28
$0.57 ฿19.00
31.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.37 ฿79.2
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MAD 14.00
$1.45 ฿48.32
-0.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K MAD 339.9K
$20.5K ฿684.3K
70.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K MAD 336.5K
$26.5K ฿886.1K
30.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fes
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$32.49 MAD 317
$62.3 ฿2,083
-47.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.33 MAD 101
$12.27 ฿410
-15.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.45 MAD 346
$19.97 ฿668
77.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fes
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.35 MAD 257
$37.91 ฿1,267
-30.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.30 MAD 188
$3.76 ฿126
413.30%
Cinema Ticket
$5.03 MAD 49.00
$6.71 ฿224
-25.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fes
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$94.6 MAD 922
$797 ฿26.6K
-88.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,313 MAD 61.6K
$14.8K ฿495.7K
-57.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fes
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.29 MAD 188
$53.3 ฿1,780
-63.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.4 MAD 511
$25.05 ฿837
109.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.8 MAD 797
$91.6 ฿3,062
-10.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$56.7 MAD 552
$73.5 ฿2,455
-22.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fes
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$313 MAD 3,050
$464 ฿15.5K
-32.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$183 MAD 1,782
$305 ฿10.2K
-40.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$539 MAD 5,252
$915 ฿30.6K
-41.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$249 MAD 2,431
$552 ฿18.5K
-54.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$724 MAD 7,062
$1,912 ฿63.9K
-62.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$342 MAD 3,333
$1,438 ฿48.1K
-76.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fes
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$483 MAD 4,709
$595 ฿19.9K
-18.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
5.57
-10.23%

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

Last update for Fes: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Fes
$183
Chiang Mai
$305 66.7% $122
Groceries & Markets
Fes
$178
Chiang Mai
$238 33.4% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Fes
$95
Chiang Mai
$110 15.8% $15
Eating Out
Fes
$89
Chiang Mai
$79 11.1% $9.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fes
$78
Chiang Mai
$95 20.8% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Fes
$36
Chiang Mai
$51 41% $15
Getting Around
Fes
$16
Chiang Mai
$61 281% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $313 in Fes versus $464 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 23% 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 $32.00 in Fes versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Fes vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Fes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇦 Fes
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
21:50 9:50 PM
03:50 3:50 AM
6 h ahead of Fes
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,167,842
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to MAD – Moroccan Dirham Converter

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fes Chiang Mai 10,070 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Fes
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Fes vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fes or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Fes, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Fes and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,013 per month in Fes and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Fes or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Fes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Fes and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $94.6 per month in Fes and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Fes or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 33% 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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Fes or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fes, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Fes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Fes or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fes costs $675 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Fes compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Fes or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Fes. 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.

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