Chiang Mai vs Dubai Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Dubai (United Arab Emirates) · Overall index 63.9
Summary
- Overall, Dubai is 146% more expensive than Chiang Mai.
- Rent in Dubai is 382% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
- Transport in Dubai is 130% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Dubai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +382% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $2,221 | +366% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $1,463 | +350% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $4,336 | +439% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $2,566 | +373% |
| Groceries | +112% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $1.13 | +113% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $2.78 | +93% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $3.62 | +115% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $3.68 | +107% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $10.8 | +125% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $9.36 | +93% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $15.7 | +134% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $4.58 | +114% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $1.72 | +118% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $3.39 | +86% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $4.73 | +114% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $2.21 | +107% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $2.29 | +144% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $2.04 | +119% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $1.92 | +121% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $10.8 | +90% |
| Transport | +130% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $1.85 | +161% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $81.7 | +114% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $2.87 | +159% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $1.22 | +118% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.64 | +121% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $18,258 | +115% |
| Dining out | +120% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $18.1 | +159% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $77.6 | +94% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $7.93 | +105% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $3.98 | +146% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $1.97 | +119% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $4.96 | +106% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $5.5 | +109% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $1.46 | +128% |
| Telecom | +95% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $55 | +121% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $52.5 | +97% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.28 | +87% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $10.8 | +77% |
| Utilities & household | +106% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $125 | +85% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.19 | +138% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $3.78 | +139% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $1.25 | +123% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $16.1 | +100% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $61 | +88% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $11.2 | +75% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $22.2 | +109% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $19.7 | +104% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $1,665 | +106% |
3,589 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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