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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Qabatiyah vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,751 per month in Qabatiyah vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,428 per month in Qabatiyah vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qabatiyah costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Qabatiyah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Qabatiyah 20% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.42 ₪24.18

$1.94 ฿63.6

334.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.94 ₪123

$18.64 ฿609

130.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 ₪26.40

$7.82 ฿256

17.65%

Cappuccino

$3.71 ₪10.64

$1.95 ฿63.9

90.26%

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

$0.71 ₪2.04

$0.85 ฿27.80

-16.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₪1.65

$0.35 ฿11.60

62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.51 ₪15.83

$2.13 ฿69.7

158.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 ₪15.50

$3.73 ฿122

44.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₪5.70

$1.71 ฿56.0

16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₪1.56

$1.63 ฿53.3

-66.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 ₪7.87

$1.14 ฿37.18

140.35%

Eggs

$2.62 ₪7.52

$1.93 ฿63.2

35.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 ₪17.41

$16.21 ฿530

-62.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 ₪18.95

$3.12 ฿102

111.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 ₪44.59

$10.90 ฿356

42.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₪6.74

$2.75 ฿90.1

-14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₪3.93

$1.21 ฿39.56

13.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ₪3.93

$1.62 ฿53.0

-15.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ₪4.16

$1.59 ฿51.9

-8.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ₪3.11

$1.40 ฿45.75

-22.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ₪3.00

$1.17 ฿38.20

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ₪4.28

$0.66 ฿21.62

125.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₪2.29

$0.53 ฿17.24

50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.59 ₪21.79

$4.69 ฿153

61.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₪8.57

$1.80 ฿58.8

66.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 ₪7.35

$3.23 ฿106

-20.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₪2.97

$0.90 ฿29.28

15.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 ₪171

$19.21 ฿628

210.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 ₪8.24

$1.41 ฿45.96

103.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 ₪3.80

$1.29 ฿42.16

2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.33 ₪41.13

$7.84 ฿256

82.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 ₪5.49

$1.27 ฿41.62

50.39%

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

$36.7K ₪105.2K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

72.25%

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

$44.7K ₪128.3K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

101.25%

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

$83.0 ₪238

$69.1 ฿2,258

20.10%

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

$18.01 ₪51.7

$14.08 ฿460

27.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.96 ₪118

$18.00 ฿588

127.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 ₪165

$41.06 ฿1,342

39.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.53 ₪81.9

$6.96 ฿227

309.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.63 ₪24.76

$5.92 ฿193

45.78%

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

$205 ₪589

$299 ฿9,775

-31.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,023 ₪11.6K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-73.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.71 ₪120

$54.7 ฿1,788

-23.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 ₪124

$26.77 ฿875

61.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.6 ₪160

$85.0 ฿2,778

-34.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.33 ₪122

$70.6 ฿2,308

-40.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₪1,471

$428 ฿14.0K

19.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ₪800

$237 ฿7,759

17.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 ₪2,932

$801 ฿26.2K

27.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$696 ₪1,998

$515 ฿16.9K

34.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,053 ₪5,895

$1,975 ฿64.5K

4.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,393 ₪3,999

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-5.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$691 ₪1,982

$617 ฿20.2K

11.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

132.00%

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

Last update for Qabatiyah: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $513 in Qabatiyah 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 12% higher in Qabatiyah, 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 $43.00 in Qabatiyah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Qabatiyah vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Qabatiyah 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

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

Qabatiyah costs about 24% 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 $1,610 per month in Qabatiyah 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 $205 per month in Qabatiyah 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 13% cheaper in Qabatiyah – 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 Qabatiyah at $1,073. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Qabatiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,073 in Qabatiyah. 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, Qabatiyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.