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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Qairawan vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,146 per month in Qairawan vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,033 per month in Qairawan vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qairawan costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Qairawan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Qairawan 9% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.97 KWD 2.44

$2.10 ฿69.3

279.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 KWD 18.12

$19.84 ฿656

197.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 KWD 2.54

$5.79 ฿191

43.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 KWD 0.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 KWD 1.02

Cappuccino

$5.07 KWD 1.55

$1.83 ฿60.4

177.05%

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

$0.56 KWD 0.17

$0.78 ฿25.61

-28.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KWD 0.12

$0.31 ฿10.37

22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$2.03 ฿67.1

-34.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 KWD 0.26

$1.60 ฿52.7

-46.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KWD 0.58

$1.42 ฿46.75

33.80%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$2.18 ฿71.9

-5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 KWD 1.35

$15.91 ฿526

-72.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 KWD 1.73

$3.07 ฿102

83.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 KWD 3.19

$9.87 ฿326

5.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 KWD 0.75

$2.63 ฿86.8

-7.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 KWD 0.59

$1.10 ฿36.19

74.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$1.63 ฿53.8

-19.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 KWD 0.47

$1.53 ฿50.6

0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

$1.24 ฿41.13

12.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 KWD 0.29

$1.13 ฿37.37

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$0.74 ฿24.38

117.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$0.50 ฿16.48

-6.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 KWD 0.82

$4.28 ฿141

-37.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KWD 0.24

$0.94 ฿31.13

-17.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

$1.23 ฿40.76

168.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$0.53 ฿17.66

526.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.45 KWD 5.04

$2.40 ฿79.3

585.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$1.44 ฿47.55

-75.69%

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

$21.3K KWD 6,524

$21.2K ฿700.2K

0.40%

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

$20.4K KWD 6,259

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-25.24%

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

$65.0 KWD 19.93

$64.9 ฿2,145

0.12%

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

$21.21 KWD 6.50

$13.35 ฿441

58.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 KWD 9.07

$20.83 ฿688

42.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.0 KWD 29.43

$40.42 ฿1,336

137.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$11.12 KWD 3.41

$6.71 ฿222

65.72%

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

$275 KWD 84.3

$787 ฿26.0K

-65.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,505 KWD 2,301

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-50.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.86 KWD 11.61

$56.2 ฿1,858

-32.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.21 KWD 12.02

$24.95 ฿824

57.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 KWD 29.96

$92.7 ฿3,063

5.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 KWD 26.84

$75.1 ฿2,482

16.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 KWD 221

$484 ฿16.0K

48.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 KWD 180

$287 ฿9,491

103.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 KWD 543

$910 ฿30.1K

94.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 KWD 420

$531 ฿17.5K

158.06%

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)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.57

17.24%

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

Last update for Qairawan: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $720 in Qairawan 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Qairawan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $165 in Qairawan vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Qairawan 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

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

Qairawan costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,888 per month in Qairawan 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Qairawan and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 47% cheaper in Qairawan – 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 Qairawan at $1,259. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Qairawan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,259 in Qairawan. 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, Qairawan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.