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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $655 per month in Fes vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,032 per month in Fes vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,409 per month in Fes vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fes is about 23% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Fes and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Fes 51% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.87 MAD 35.75

$1.96 ฿63.6

97.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.71 MAD 302

$18.39 ฿598

77.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 MAD 57.1

$7.87 ฿256

-21.47%

Cappuccino

$1.50 MAD 13.84

$1.95 ฿63.4

-23.08%

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

$0.49 MAD 4.52

$0.85 ฿27.57

-42.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.47

$0.32 ฿10.52

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MAD 27.27

$2.14 ฿69.6

37.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MAD 29.82

$3.68 ฿120

-12.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 MAD 8.41

$1.66 ฿53.9

-45.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MAD 4.87

$1.56 ฿50.7

-66.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MAD 15.15

$1.19 ฿38.63

37.82%

Eggs

$2.01 MAD 18.55

$1.99 ฿64.7

1.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.37 MAD 114

$16.24 ฿528

-23.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.42 MAD 50.0

$3.17 ฿103

70.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 MAD 87.1

$10.84 ฿352

-13.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 MAD 10.48

$2.65 ฿86.2

-57.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 MAD 11.95

$1.22 ฿39.67

5.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.16

$1.65 ฿53.7

-53.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 MAD 7.89

$1.55 ฿50.3

-45.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MAD 7.34

$1.33 ฿43.17

-40.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.18

$1.21 ฿39.43

-26.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 MAD 4.32

$0.68 ฿22.04

-30.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.52

$0.57 ฿18.38

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 MAD 37.27

$4.68 ฿152

-13.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 MAD 45.19

$16.99 ฿552

-71.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 MAD 23.66

$1.82 ฿59.3

40.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 MAD 30.33

$3.18 ฿103

3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 MAD 3.97

$0.91 ฿29.46

-52.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.09 MAD 102

$18.74 ฿609

-40.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 MAD 5.88

$1.41 ฿45.80

-54.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MAD 4.49

$1.34 ฿43.52

-63.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 MAD 40.95

$8.14 ฿265

-45.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MAD 14.51

$1.28 ฿41.53

22.66%

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

$37.4K MAD 345.2K

$21.8K ฿709.3K

71.22%

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

$29.1K MAD 268.7K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

29.83%

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

$34.04 MAD 314

$70.5 ฿2,291

-51.70%

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

$10.71 MAD 98.9

$14.05 ฿457

-23.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 MAD 231

$17.65 ฿574

41.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.42 MAD 244

$41.29 ฿1,342

-36.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 MAD 230

$6.76 ฿220

268.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 MAD 49.87

$5.96 ฿194

-9.40%

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

$55.1 MAD 509

$303 ฿9,846

-81.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,343 MAD 30.9K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-77.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.91 MAD 304

$54.7 ฿1,778

-39.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.69 MAD 311

$26.29 ฿854

28.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 MAD 789

$85.8 ฿2,788

-0.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 MAD 591

$69.7 ฿2,265

-8.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MAD 2,625

$428 ฿13.9K

-33.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 MAD 1,376

$239 ฿7,769

-37.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 MAD 3,850

$811 ฿26.4K

-48.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 MAD 2,060

$510 ฿16.6K

-56.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$742 MAD 6,853

$2,025 ฿65.8K

-63.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$351 MAD 3,242

$1,502 ฿48.8K

-76.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$519 MAD 4,796

$623 ฿20.2K

-16.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Fes: June 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Fes 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 20% 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 $33.00 in Fes versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $185 in Fes vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Fes 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Fes, 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 $983 per month in Fes and $1,272 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $55.1 per month in Fes and $303 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $655 in Fes and $848 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fes costs $655 versus $848 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 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.