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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $873 per month in Rabat vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,492 per month in Rabat vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,110 per month in Rabat vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rabat is about 8% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rabat and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Rabat 36% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.20 MAD 39.25

$2.08 ฿69.4

101.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 MAD 420

$19.64 ฿654

129.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 MAD 70.8

$5.65 ฿188

34.16%

Cappuccino

$2.06 MAD 19.27

$1.81 ฿60.1

13.81%

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

$0.67 MAD 6.29

$0.71 ฿23.75

-5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MAD 3.33

$0.32 ฿10.52

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 MAD 49.40

$2.24 ฿74.5

136.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 MAD 30.46

$3.63 ฿121

-10.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 MAD 8.70

$1.96 ฿65.2

-52.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MAD 6.00

$1.50 ฿50.0

-57.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MAD 18.40

$1.34 ฿44.49

47.01%

Eggs

$1.90 MAD 17.71

$2.26 ฿75.4

-15.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.01 MAD 112

$16.26 ฿541

-26.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 MAD 62.6

$2.95 ฿98.4

127.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MAD 120

$9.94 ฿331

28.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 MAD 15.24

$2.57 ฿85.7

-36.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MAD 13.73

$1.06 ฿35.18

38.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MAD 8.80

$1.61 ฿53.7

-41.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 MAD 8.37

$1.52 ฿50.6

-40.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.66

$1.27 ฿42.30

-44.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MAD 7.81

$1.07 ฿35.51

-21.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 MAD 3.86

$0.72 ฿23.98

-43.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MAD 5.69

$0.51 ฿16.94

19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 MAD 41.26

$4.19 ฿140

5.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 MAD 72.2

$17.87 ฿595

-56.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MAD 26.26

$1.69 ฿56.4

66.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MAD 25.70

$2.84 ฿94.5

-3.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.29

$0.93 ฿30.82

-38.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.43 MAD 247

$53.9 ฿1,794

-50.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 MAD 7.31

$1.23 ฿41.11

-36.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 MAD 8.83

$0.58 ฿19.20

63.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 MAD 39.49

$2.42 ฿80.7

74.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.22

$1.41 ฿47.03

7.80%

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

$35.6K MAD 332.1K

$21.4K ฿714.1K

65.84%

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

$32.8K MAD 306.1K

$27.3K ฿910.2K

19.95%

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

$35.43 MAD 331

$63.7 ฿2,120

-44.35%

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

$10.46 MAD 97.7

$12.85 ฿428

-18.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.16 MAD 319

$20.22 ฿673

68.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.58 MAD 286

$38.74 ฿1,290

-21.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.97 MAD 261

$3.97 ฿132

604.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 MAD 61.9

$6.74 ฿224

-1.63%

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

$189 MAD 1,765

$778 ฿25.9K

-75.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,239 MAD 67.6K

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-50.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MAD 476

$54.3 ฿1,808

-6.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.30 MAD 423

$25.45 ฿847

78.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 MAD 858

$94.3 ฿3,141

-2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 MAD 642

$73.4 ฿2,446

-6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 MAD 4,796

$490 ฿16.3K

4.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MAD 2,545

$289 ฿9,634

-5.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 MAD 10.5K

$894 ฿29.8K

25.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$681 MAD 6,361

$517 ฿17.2K

31.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 MAD 19.2K

$1,955 ฿65.1K

4.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,212 MAD 11.3K

$1,477 ฿49.2K

-17.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$745 MAD 6,961

$602 ฿20.0K

23.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

5.57

-18.85%

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

Last update for Rabat: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $514 in Rabat versus $490 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 24% higher in Rabat, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Rabat versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Rabat vs $240 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

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Rabat, 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 $1,309 per month in Rabat and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rabat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $189 per month in Rabat and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rabat, where all-in costs run around $873, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Rabat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rabat costs $873 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. 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 Rabat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.