Cost of Living Comparison Between Sidi Kacem and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Sidi Kacem and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $651 per month in Sidi Kacem vs $906 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $971 per month in Sidi Kacem vs $1,385 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,291 per month in Sidi Kacem vs $1,864 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sidi Kacem is about 28% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sidi Kacem and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sidi Kacem 51% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 MAD 29.74

$2.13 ฿71.8

39.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.82 MAD 178

$19.40 ฿653

-8.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 MAD 81.3

$5.47 ฿184

48.81%

Cappuccino

$1.77 MAD 17.64

$1.68 ฿56.7

5.36%

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

$0.72 MAD 7.18

$0.66 ฿22.22

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.25

$0.34 ฿11.58

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MAD 26.59

$2.42 ฿81.5

9.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 MAD 31.51

$3.73 ฿126

-15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 MAD 7.60

$2.06 ฿69.3

-63.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 MAD 2.70

$1.46 ฿49.06

-81.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MAD 14.65

$1.35 ฿45.34

8.89%

Eggs

$1.67 MAD 16.64

$2.27 ฿76.4

-26.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.74 MAD 57.4

$16.31 ฿549

-64.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 MAD 37.70

$2.70 ฿90.8

40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 MAD 87.8

$9.20 ฿310

-4.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 13.83

$2.39 ฿80.6

-42.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MAD 14.62

$1.04 ฿34.85

40.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 MAD 8.34

$1.60 ฿54.0

-47.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 MAD 5.83

$1.44 ฿48.64

-59.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 MAD 5.96

$1.30 ฿43.84

-53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MAD 4.54

$1.11 ฿37.50

-59.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MAD 3.22

$0.70 ฿23.69

-54.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.82

$0.51 ฿17.09

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MAD 33.92

$4.13 ฿139

-17.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 MAD 62.4

$17.78 ฿599

-64.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MAD 17.12

$1.63 ฿55.0

4.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MAD 16.76

$2.87 ฿96.6

-41.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MAD 5.24

$0.86 ฿28.92

-38.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.95 MAD 189

$53.2 ฿1,790

-64.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 MAD 7.06

$1.22 ฿41.05

-41.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 MAD 11.21

$0.56 ฿18.92

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 MAD 33.14

$2.31 ฿77.9

43.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 MAD 12.16

$1.50 ฿50.5

-18.67%

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

$34.5K MAD 344.5K

$20.9K ฿702.3K

65.43%

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

$31.0K MAD 309.7K

$26.7K ฿900.1K

16.02%

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

$43.86 MAD 438

$61.3 ฿2,063

-28.40%

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

$10.70 MAD 107

$12.50 ฿421

-14.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.77 MAD 407

$20.36 ฿686

100.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.83 MAD 258

$37.94 ฿1,277

-31.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 MAD 212

$3.77 ฿127

463.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.81 MAD 38.05

$6.60 ฿222

-42.27%

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

$47.09 MAD 470

$774 ฿26.1K

-93.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,739 MAD 57.3K

$14.4K ฿486.0K

-60.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.01 MAD 180

$54.8 ฿1,845

-67.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.38 MAD 473

$25.26 ฿851

87.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 MAD 546

$90.6 ฿3,049

-39.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.8 MAD 667

$73.3 ฿2,467

-8.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 MAD 2,681

$459 ฿15.4K

-41.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 MAD 1,691

$294 ฿9,891

-42.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 MAD 4,734

$919 ฿30.9K

-48.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MAD 2,658

$552 ฿18.6K

-51.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,175 MAD 11.7K

$1,917 ฿64.6K

-38.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$828 MAD 8,270

$1,445 ฿48.6K

-42.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.57

-1.26%

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

Last update for Sidi Kacem: October 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $269 in Sidi Kacem versus $459 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 $18.00 in Sidi Kacem versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $143 vs $236 – making Sidi Kacem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sidi Kacem vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Sidi Kacem, 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 $977 per month in Sidi Kacem and $1,359 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $47.09 per month in Sidi Kacem and $774 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sidi Kacem, where all-in costs run around $651, than in Chiang Mai at $906. In Sidi Kacem 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. Sidi Kacem costs $651 versus $906 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 Sidi Kacem. 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.