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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,399 per month in Mishref vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,367 per month in Mishref vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,334 per month in Mishref vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mishref costs about 62% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mishref sits 4% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 KWD 3.03

$1.94 ฿63.5

408.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.2 KWD 25.20

$18.64 ฿609

340.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 KWD 2.79

$7.82 ฿255

16.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$5.96 KWD 1.83

$1.95 ฿63.8

205.64%

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

$0.64 KWD 0.20

$0.85 ฿27.77

-24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.35 ฿11.58

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.71 ฿56.0

-8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.63 ฿53.2

-23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 KWD 0.52

$1.14 ฿37.15

49.12%

Eggs

$2.05 KWD 0.63

$1.93 ฿63.1

6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 KWD 1.64

$16.21 ฿530

-67.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 KWD 1.94

$3.12 ฿102

102.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 KWD 3.12

$10.90 ฿356

-6.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 KWD 0.72

$2.75 ฿90.0

-14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 KWD 0.60

$1.21 ฿39.52

61.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.62 ฿53.0

6.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 KWD 0.45

$1.59 ฿51.8

-6.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.40 ฿45.70

-9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.17 ฿38.17

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$0.66 ฿21.60

148.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.53 ฿17.22

-7.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 KWD 0.91

$4.69 ฿153

-36.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$0.90 ฿29.26

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.95 KWD 13.48

$19.21 ฿628

128.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$1.41 ฿45.91

135.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$1.29 ฿42.12

157.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.63 KWD 5.10

$7.84 ฿256

112.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$1.27 ฿41.58

-74.02%

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

$20.9K KWD 6,405

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-1.85%

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

$19.7K KWD 6,050

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-11.19%

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

$61.6 KWD 18.90

$69.1 ฿2,256

-10.79%

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

$18.30 KWD 5.61

$14.08 ฿460

29.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 KWD 7.80

$18.00 ฿588

41.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.9 KWD 29.09

$41.06 ฿1,341

131.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.91 KWD 14.08

$6.96 ฿227

559.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 KWD 3.53

$5.92 ฿193

94.43%

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

$397 KWD 122

$299 ฿9,766

32.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,616 KWD 2,029

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-55.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.67 KWD 12.78

$54.7 ฿1,787

-23.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.82 KWD 12.83

$26.77 ฿874

56.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 KWD 27.37

$85.0 ฿2,776

4.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 KWD 24.82

$70.6 ฿2,306

14.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 KWD 243

$428 ฿14.0K

85.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 KWD 185

$237 ฿7,752

154.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 KWD 476

$801 ฿26.2K

93.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 KWD 403

$515 ฿16.8K

154.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

42.80%

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

Last update for Mishref: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $792 in Mishref 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Mishref versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Mishref vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Mishref 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

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

Mishref costs about 62% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,099 per month in Mishref and $1,300 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 $397 per month in Mishref and $299 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 39% cheaper in Mishref – 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 $866, than in Mishref at $1,399. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mishref it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,399 in Mishref. 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, Mishref makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.