Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Laayoune and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Laayoune: $119 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Laayoune

🇪🇭 Western Sahara

$119

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Laayoune 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 Laayoune and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $119 per month in Laayoune vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Laayoune $119
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $173 per month in Laayoune vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Laayoune $173
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $227 per month in Laayoune vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Laayoune $227
Chiang Mai $1,979

Laayoune is about 87% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Laayoune and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Laayoune 91% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 MAD 40.81

$2.24 ฿75.7

84.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.32 MAD 32.74

$5.55 ฿188

-40.18%

Cappuccino

$2.07 MAD 20.36

$1.67 ฿56.6

23.95%

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

$0.42 MAD 4.16

$0.64 ฿21.56

-34.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MAD 2.92

$0.31 ฿10.32

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MAD 7.11

$0.87 ฿29.33

-17.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MAD 7.21

$1.16 ฿39.08

-37.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 MAD 7.24

$0.53 ฿17.82

37.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MAD 13.14

$1.45 ฿48.93

-8.28%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.67 MAD 204

$20.12 ฿680

2.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.68 MAD 450

$53.4 ฿1,802

-14.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Laayoune: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Laayoune

–

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Groceries & Markets

Laayoune

–

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Laayoune

–

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Laayoune

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Laayoune

–

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Getting Around

Laayoune

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Laayoune

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Good to know

🇪🇭 Laayoune

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

15:07 3:07 PM

22:07 10:07 PM

7 h ahead of Laayoune

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

196,331 Capital

127,240

💱 Currency

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 MAD = 10.15 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to MAD – Moroccan Dirham Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇦 Moroccan Dirham (د.م.)

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.85 MAD (1 MAD = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to MAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Laayoune Chiang Mai 11,100 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Laayoune
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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 684% more than Laayoune, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $179 per month in Laayoune and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Laayoune to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.