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 $729 per month in Sidi Kacem vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,141 per month in Sidi Kacem vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,552 per month in Sidi Kacem vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sidi Kacem is about 14% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sidi Kacem and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sidi Kacem 46% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 MAD 40.83

$1.96 ฿64.0

125.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.53 MAD 282

$18.81 ฿615

62.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 MAD 65.3

$7.92 ฿259

-10.86%

Cappuccino

$1.73 MAD 16.03

$1.91 ฿62.6

-9.42%

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

$0.71 MAD 6.59

$0.84 ฿27.41

-15.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.01

$0.35 ฿11.51

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 MAD 34.94

$2.21 ฿72.1

71.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MAD 30.54

$3.80 ฿124

-13.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 MAD 7.40

$1.64 ฿53.5

-51.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MAD 5.90

$1.62 ฿53.1

-60.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 MAD 9.99

$1.18 ฿38.62

-8.47%

Eggs

$2.25 MAD 20.78

$2.01 ฿65.8

11.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 MAD 81.4

$15.89 ฿520

-44.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 MAD 34.79

$3.01 ฿98.5

24.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 MAD 72.7

$10.77 ฿352

-27.02%

Apples (1kg)

$0.64 MAD 5.96

$2.61 ฿85.5

-75.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 MAD 7.74

$1.22 ฿39.88

-31.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.54 MAD 4.98

$1.70 ฿55.7

-68.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 MAD 4.96

$1.58 ฿51.5

-65.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 MAD 4.21

$1.32 ฿43.14

-65.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 MAD 2.92

$1.17 ฿38.23

-72.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 MAD 2.13

$0.67 ฿21.98

-65.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.58

$0.56 ฿18.32

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 MAD 24.53

$4.53 ฿148

-41.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 MAD 59.5

$18.20 ฿595

-64.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MAD 14.27

$1.83 ฿60.0

-15.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 MAD 30.26

$3.23 ฿106

1.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MAD 4.41

$0.89 ฿29.00

-46.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.60 MAD 154

$19.38 ฿634

-14.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MAD 5.19

$1.35 ฿44.20

-58.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MAD 4.51

$1.35 ฿44.05

-63.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 MAD 39.42

$8.25 ฿270

-48.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MAD 12.40

$1.27 ฿41.64

5.51%

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

$36.7K MAD 339.3K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

73.38%

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

$23.9K MAD 221.2K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

6.36%

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

$83.3 MAD 771

$70.2 ฿2,294

18.77%

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

$11.19 MAD 103

$13.77 ฿450

-18.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.97 MAD 361

$17.60 ฿575

121.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.43 MAD 226

$41.57 ฿1,360

-41.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.11 MAD 214

$6.60 ฿216

250.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 MAD 67.2

$5.78 ฿189

25.78%

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

$98.4 MAD 910

$306 ฿10.0K

-67.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,527 MAD 60.4K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-55.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.21 MAD 289

$54.4 ฿1,778

-42.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.27 MAD 428

$26.14 ฿855

77.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 MAD 830

$84.5 ฿2,764

6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 MAD 775

$69.4 ฿2,270

20.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MAD 2,555

$424 ฿13.9K

-34.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MAD 1,609

$238 ฿7,788

-26.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 MAD 4,647

$825 ฿27.0K

-39.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 MAD 2,807

$515 ฿16.8K

-41.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,564 MAD 14.5K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-23.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$854 MAD 7,896

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-43.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.35

-13.00%

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

Last update for Sidi Kacem: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Sidi Kacem versus $424 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 $31.00 in Sidi Kacem versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $147 in Sidi Kacem vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Sidi Kacem 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 17% 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 $1,094 per month in Sidi Kacem and $1,278 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 $98.4 per month in Sidi Kacem and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 66% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $729 in Sidi Kacem and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sidi Kacem costs $729 versus $852 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.