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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $908 per month in Rabat vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,593 per month in Rabat vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,279 per month in Rabat vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rabat costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rabat and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Rabat 32% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 MAD 42.54

$1.94 ฿63.5

138.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.79 MAD 448

$18.64 ฿609

161.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MAD 62.5

$7.82 ฿255

-13.04%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.04

$1.95 ฿63.8

0.51%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.61

$0.85 ฿27.77

-28.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.48

$0.35 ฿11.58

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 MAD 50.2

$2.13 ฿69.6

156.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 MAD 38.67

$3.73 ฿122

12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 MAD 7.51

$1.71 ฿56.0

-52.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 MAD 4.40

$1.63 ฿53.2

-70.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MAD 18.11

$1.14 ฿37.15

72.81%

Eggs

$1.93 MAD 17.76

$1.93 ฿63.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 MAD 121

$16.21 ฿530

-18.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 MAD 63.8

$3.12 ฿102

122.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 MAD 110

$10.90 ฿356

9.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 MAD 14.83

$2.75 ฿90.0

-41.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 12.68

$1.21 ฿39.52

14.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.61

$1.62 ฿53.0

-48.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.44

$1.59 ฿51.8

-49.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MAD 6.25

$1.40 ฿45.70

-51.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.51

$1.17 ฿38.17

-39.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 MAD 3.64

$0.66 ฿21.60

-39.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MAD 5.77

$0.53 ฿17.22

18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MAD 40.35

$4.69 ฿153

-6.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 MAD 74.3

$18.66 ฿609

-56.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MAD 24.85

$1.80 ฿58.8

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 22.73

$3.23 ฿106

-23.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.23

$0.90 ฿29.26

-36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.06 MAD 249

$19.21 ฿628

40.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 MAD 5.27

$1.41 ฿45.91

-59.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 MAD 7.63

$1.29 ฿42.12

-35.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 MAD 41.02

$7.84 ฿256

-43.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MAD 14.11

$1.27 ฿41.58

21.26%

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

$36.9K MAD 338.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

73.21%

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

$29.8K MAD 273.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

34.13%

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

$41.32 MAD 380

$69.1 ฿2,256

-40.18%

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

$11.26 MAD 103

$14.08 ฿460

-20.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.59 MAD 364

$18.00 ฿588

119.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.30 MAD 278

$41.06 ฿1,341

-26.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.31 MAD 269

$6.96 ฿227

321.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 MAD 60.3

$5.92 ฿193

10.81%

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

$158 MAD 1,448

$299 ฿9,766

-47.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,396 MAD 58.8K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-57.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 MAD 482

$54.7 ฿1,787

-4.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.76 MAD 448

$26.77 ฿874

82.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MAD 990

$85.0 ฿2,776

26.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 MAD 892

$70.6 ฿2,306

37.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MAD 4,226

$428 ฿14.0K

7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MAD 2,471

$237 ฿7,752

13.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MAD 10.1K

$801 ฿26.2K

37.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 MAD 6,680

$515 ฿16.8K

41.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,105 MAD 19.3K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

6.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,209 MAD 11.1K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-18.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$745 MAD 6,843

$617 ฿20.2K

20.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

-3.80%

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

Last update for Rabat: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Rabat 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 21% higher in Rabat, 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 $49.00 in Rabat versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Rabat vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Rabat 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

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

Rabat costs about 5% 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 $1,362 per month in Rabat 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 $158 per month in Rabat 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 18% cheaper in Rabat – 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 Rabat at $908. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rabat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $908 in Rabat. 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, Rabat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.