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 $686 per month in Fes vs $912 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,062 per month in Fes vs $1,390 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,438 per month in Fes vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fes is about 25% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Fes and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Fes 49% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 MAD 30.12

$2.06 ฿68.1

57.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.76 MAD 305

$19.99 ฿661

63.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 MAD 59.4

$5.73 ฿190

11.52%

Cappuccino

$1.35 MAD 12.59

$1.71 ฿56.4

-21.05%

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

$0.55 MAD 5.15

$0.73 ฿24.27

-24.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MAD 4.07

$0.30 ฿10.06

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 MAD 33.98

$2.44 ฿80.6

49.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MAD 40.11

$3.85 ฿127

11.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 MAD 7.61

$1.94 ฿64.3

-57.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 MAD 5.64

$1.61 ฿53.1

-62.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MAD 17.38

$1.33 ฿44.07

40.60%

Eggs

$1.90 MAD 17.68

$2.21 ฿73.2

-14.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 MAD 97.3

$15.29 ฿506

-31.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 MAD 43.20

$2.80 ฿92.6

66.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 MAD 87.7

$10.77 ฿356

-12.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 MAD 17.90

$2.47 ฿81.5

-21.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 MAD 12.21

$1.09 ฿36.09

20.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.44

$1.56 ฿51.5

-48.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 MAD 8.94

$1.51 ฿49.83

-36.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MAD 7.31

$1.26 ฿41.82

-37.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MAD 9.02

$1.06 ฿35.13

-8.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 MAD 4.35

$0.71 ฿23.53

-33.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MAD 5.71

$0.53 ฿17.44

15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 MAD 42.03

$4.21 ฿139

7.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.68 MAD 43.48

$16.47 ฿545

-71.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MAD 26.23

$1.72 ฿56.7

63.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 MAD 30.56

$2.85 ฿94.1

15.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MAD 4.18

$0.93 ฿30.76

-51.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.70 MAD 99.5

$53.6 ฿1,772

-80.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 MAD 6.12

$1.19 ฿39.41

-44.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 MAD 7.21

$0.55 ฿18.07

41.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MAD 13.81

$1.49 ฿49.21

-0.67%

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

$36.1K MAD 335.8K

$21.1K ฿697.7K

71.19%

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

$35.5K MAD 330.5K

$27.4K ฿904.9K

29.91%

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

$34.50 MAD 321

$64.5 ฿2,131

-46.47%

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

$10.47 MAD 97.4

$13.08 ฿433

-19.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.62 MAD 350

$19.72 ฿652

90.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.12 MAD 252

$38.94 ฿1,288

-30.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.57 MAD 182

$3.96 ฿131

394.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 MAD 48.44

$6.81 ฿225

-23.49%

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

$97.9 MAD 910

$795 ฿26.3K

-87.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,620 MAD 61.6K

$14.8K ฿488.7K

-55.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.63 MAD 183

$56.2 ฿1,858

-65.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.2 MAD 513

$25.71 ฿850

114.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 MAD 811

$91.6 ฿3,028

-4.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.2 MAD 542

$73.0 ฿2,414

-20.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 MAD 3,035

$484 ฿16.0K

-32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 MAD 1,758

$281 ฿9,285

-32.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 MAD 5,334

$899 ฿29.7K

-36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 MAD 2,354

$515 ฿17.0K

-50.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$762 MAD 7,087

$2,009 ฿66.5K

-62.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$354 MAD 3,292

$1,458 ฿48.2K

-75.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 MAD 4,683

$594 ฿19.6K

-15.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-10.23%

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

Last update for Fes: August 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 10, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $326 in Fes versus $484 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 18% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Fes vs $237 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 33% 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 $1,029 per month in Fes and $1,368 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 $97.9 per month in Fes and $795 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fes, where all-in costs run around $686, than in Chiang Mai at $912. In Fes 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. Fes costs $686 versus $912 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.