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 $1,318 per month in Qairawan vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,238 per month in Qairawan vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,157 per month in Qairawan vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qairawan costs about 53% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Qairawan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Qairawan 1% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 KWD 2.37

$1.96 ฿65.7

293.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 KWD 17.99

$18.35 ฿616

219.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 KWD 2.69

$7.48 ฿251

17.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 KWD 1.04

Cappuccino

$5.34 KWD 1.64

$2.02 ฿67.7

164.36%

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

$0.58 KWD 0.18

$0.85 ฿28.45

-31.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.36 ฿11.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 KWD 0.45

$1.65 ฿55.4

-10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 KWD 0.34

$1.57 ฿52.6

-29.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.19 ฿39.95

38.66%

Eggs

$2.04 KWD 0.63

$1.94 ฿65.0

5.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 KWD 1.34

$16.19 ฿544

-72.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 KWD 1.97

$2.99 ฿100

114.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 KWD 2.93

$10.94 ฿367

-12.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 KWD 0.71

$2.71 ฿91.0

-15.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$1.17 ฿39.18

36.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 KWD 0.47

$1.69 ฿56.6

-9.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.60 ฿53.9

-10.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.38 ฿46.45

-7.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KWD 0.34

$1.20 ฿40.38

-7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$0.67 ฿22.46

140.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.56 ฿18.70

-19.64%

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)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 KWD 0.90

$4.64 ฿156

-37.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.22 KWD 13.59

$19.34 ฿649

128.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 KWD 1.00

$1.36 ฿45.82

138.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

$1.34 ฿44.90

138.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.54 KWD 5.08

$8.21 ฿276

101.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$1.22 ฿41.11

-72.13%

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

$20.1K KWD 6,165

$21.4K ฿716.8K

-6.07%

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

$19.4K KWD 5,972

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-13.78%

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

$62.1 KWD 19.09

$70.7 ฿2,372

-12.10%

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

$18.09 KWD 5.56

$14.04 ฿471

28.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.13 KWD 8.03

$17.49 ฿587

49.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 KWD 29.30

$42.15 ฿1,415

126.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.20 KWD 14.20

$6.88 ฿231

571.51%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 KWD 3.58

$5.92 ฿199

96.79%

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

$279 KWD 85.8

$309 ฿10.4K

-9.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,047 KWD 1,859

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-59.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.38 KWD 12.72

$55.8 ฿1,872

-25.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 KWD 13.15

$26.11 ฿877

63.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 KWD 26.55

$83.0 ฿2,787

4.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 KWD 25.58

$70.5 ฿2,365

18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 KWD 245

$432 ฿14.5K

84.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 KWD 187

$239 ฿8,020

154.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 KWD 486

$822 ฿27.6K

92.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 KWD 395

$512 ฿17.2K

150.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

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 Qairawan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $796 in Qairawan versus $432 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $167 in Qairawan vs $243 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 53% 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 $1,978 per month in Qairawan and $1,292 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 $279 per month in Qairawan and $309 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 46% 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 $861, than in Qairawan at $1,318. 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 $861 versus $1,318 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.