Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat Hamad and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat Hamad and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,894 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,593 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Madinat Hamad costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Madinat Hamad and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Madinat Hamad 13% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 BHD 1.02

$2.10 ฿69.3

29.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 BHD 19.84

$19.84 ฿656

165.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 BHD 2.85

$5.79 ฿191

30.57%

Cappuccino

$2.73 BHD 1.03

$1.83 ฿60.4

49.18%

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

$0.82 BHD 0.31

$0.78 ฿25.61

5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 BHD 0.12

$0.31 ฿10.37

3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.60 BHD 2.49

$2.34 ฿77.2

182.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.11 BHD 3.81

$3.70 ฿122

173.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 BHD 0.54

$2.03 ฿67.1

-30.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.60 ฿52.7

-32.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$1.42 ฿46.75

64.08%

Eggs

$1.98 BHD 0.75

$2.18 ฿71.9

-9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 BHD 3.22

$15.91 ฿526

-46.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 BHD 2.40

$3.07 ฿102

107.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.50 BHD 3.20

$9.87 ฿326

-13.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BHD 0.81

$2.63 ฿86.8

-18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BHD 0.62

$1.10 ฿36.19

48.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BHD 0.73

$1.63 ฿53.8

19.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 BHD 0.50

$1.53 ฿50.6

-14.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 BHD 0.40

$1.24 ฿41.13

-15.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 BHD 0.39

$1.13 ฿37.37

-8.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 BHD 0.56

$0.74 ฿24.38

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$0.50 ฿16.48

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.15 BHD 1.94

$4.28 ฿141

20.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 BHD 6.94

$17.97 ฿594

2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 BHD 1.33

$1.70 ฿56.1

108.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 BHD 0.98

$2.90 ฿95.7

-10.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 BHD 0.26

$0.94 ฿31.13

-27.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.94 BHD 13.17

$55.3 ฿1,827

-36.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 BHD 2.02

$1.23 ฿40.76

335.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 BHD 0.99

$0.53 ฿17.66

394.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.97 BHD 6.02

$2.40 ฿79.3

565.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BHD 0.15

$1.44 ฿47.55

-73.61%

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

$36.7K BHD 13.8K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

72.98%

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

$20.3K BHD 7,649

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-25.68%

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

$155 BHD 58.4

$64.9 ฿2,145

138.43%

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

$23.94 BHD 9.02

$13.35 ฿441

79.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 BHD 6.90

$20.83 ฿688

-12.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 BHD 45.69

$40.42 ฿1,336

199.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.6 BHD 20.19

$3.95 ฿131

1256.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.28 BHD 1.99

$6.71 ฿222

-21.31%

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

$482 BHD 182

$787 ฿26.0K

-38.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K BHD 4,149

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-27.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 BHD 19.60

$56.2 ฿1,858

-7.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 BHD 21.63

$24.95 ฿824

130.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 BHD 33.69

$92.7 ฿3,063

-3.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 BHD 34.09

$75.1 ฿2,482

20.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 BHD 150

$484 ฿16.0K

-17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 BHD 122

$287 ฿9,491

12.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$804 BHD 303

$910 ฿30.1K

-11.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 BHD 250

$531 ฿17.5K

24.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 BHD 246

$605 ฿20.0K

7.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.57

11.49%

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

Last update for Madinat Hamad: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Madinat Hamad 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 8% higher in Madinat Hamad, 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 $53.0 in Madinat Hamad versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Madinat Hamad vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Madinat Hamad 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

Madinat Hamad vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madinat Hamad costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,792 per month in Madinat Hamad and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $482 per month in Madinat Hamad and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Madinat Hamad – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Madinat Hamad at $1,194. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madinat Hamad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,194 in Madinat Hamad. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madinat Hamad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.