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 $681 per month in Sidi Kacem vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,012 per month in Sidi Kacem vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,342 per month in Sidi Kacem vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sidi Kacem is about 26% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sidi Kacem and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sidi Kacem 50% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 MAD 29.31

$2.11 ฿69.1

50.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.24 MAD 178

$19.75 ฿648

-2.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 MAD 81.8

$5.85 ฿192

51.28%

Cappuccino

$1.85 MAD 17.08

$1.76 ฿57.8

5.11%

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

$0.78 MAD 7.17

$0.74 ฿24.37

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.07

$0.33 ฿10.90

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 MAD 25.65

$2.47 ฿81.0

12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 MAD 29.52

$3.88 ฿127

-17.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 MAD 7.26

$1.90 ฿62.4

-58.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 MAD 2.62

$1.67 ฿54.7

-83.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MAD 14.16

$1.35 ฿44.24

13.33%

Eggs

$1.79 MAD 16.55

$2.14 ฿70.2

-16.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.93 MAD 54.8

$15.89 ฿521

-62.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 MAD 36.62

$2.83 ฿92.9

39.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 MAD 84.1

$10.53 ฿345

-13.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 12.70

$2.38 ฿78.2

-42.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MAD 13.89

$1.07 ฿35.01

40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MAD 8.64

$1.52 ฿49.79

-38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.62 MAD 5.72

$1.50 ฿49.30

-58.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 MAD 5.30

$1.28 ฿41.96

-55.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$1.10 ฿36.17

-56.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MAD 3.05

$0.69 ฿22.54

-52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MAD 5.65

$0.49 ฿16.18

24.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 MAD 33.13

$4.27 ฿140

-15.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 MAD 60.0

$16.78 ฿550

-61.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 MAD 17.03

$1.66 ฿54.4

10.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MAD 15.82

$2.81 ฿92.3

-39.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MAD 4.80

$0.90 ฿29.44

-42.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.26 MAD 178

$54.9 ฿1,801

-64.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MAD 6.67

$1.20 ฿39.24

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MAD 10.45

$0.54 ฿17.78

109.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 MAD 32.62

$2.37 ฿77.9

48.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MAD 11.75

$1.43 ฿46.88

-11.19%

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

$35.5K MAD 328.2K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

68.61%

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

$31.6K MAD 291.8K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

16.46%

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

$45.83 MAD 423

$64.7 ฿2,124

-29.21%

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

$11.23 MAD 104

$13.19 ฿433

-14.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 MAD 397

$19.44 ฿638

120.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.95 MAD 249

$39.45 ฿1,294

-31.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 MAD 173

$3.77 ฿124

397.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.80 MAD 35.13

$6.62 ฿217

-42.60%

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

$49.79 MAD 460

$805 ฿26.4K

-93.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,983 MAD 55.3K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-60.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.31 MAD 169

$54.8 ฿1,796

-66.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.58 MAD 449

$25.43 ฿834

91.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.9 MAD 535

$91.9 ฿3,015

-36.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.9 MAD 636

$74.7 ฿2,449

-7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 MAD 2,427

$467 ฿15.3K

-43.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 MAD 1,572

$282 ฿9,251

-39.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 MAD 4,166

$891 ฿29.2K

-49.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 MAD 2,297

$521 ฿17.1K

-52.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,127 MAD 10.4K

$1,985 ฿65.1K

-43.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$898 MAD 8,291

$1,462 ฿48.0K

-38.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

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: August 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in Sidi Kacem versus $467 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 $19.00 in Sidi Kacem versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $237 – 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 35% 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 $1,022 per month in Sidi Kacem and $1,380 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 $49.79 per month in Sidi Kacem and $805 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% 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 $681, than in Chiang Mai at $920. 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 $681 versus $920 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.