City comparison
Cost of living in Dubai vs Chiang Mai
One person needs about €2,794 a month in Dubai and €705 in Chiang Mai, rent included — Chiang Mai is 75% cheaper overall.
Salary you'd need to keep the same lifestyle
Enter your current net monthly pay. We scale it by the full cost basket — rent, groceries, transport, utilities, eating out and internet.
To live in Chiang Mai the way you live in Dubai on €3,000, you need
€757/ month net
75% less than today (-€2,243)
- Dubai today
- Basket €2,794 · left over €206 (7%)
- Chiang Mai at the matched salary
- Basket €705 · left over €52 (7%)
Local pay context: average tech net pay covers the basket 170% over in Chiang Mai (comfortable) vs 186% in Dubai. Purchasing power index · How we calculate this
🇦🇪 Dubai
Zero income tax pulls net pay up; housing and schooling pull disposable income back down.
Monthly budget: €2,794
Sources: Dubai Statistics Center + DLD, CPI & Dubai Land Department rent index (2025) · 187 community reports
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
The classic low-burn base — unbeatable food costs, with a smoky burning season each spring.
Monthly budget: €705
Sources: Thailand NSO + Bank of Thailand, CPI & provincial wage survey (2025) · 209 community reports
Should you move to Dubai or Chiang Mai?
On salary, Dubai pays more for tech roles (€5,200 versus €1,200 a month), so the money left over after costs is €2,406 in Dubai at the top end.
Rent drives most of the gap: €1,900 in Dubai against €380 in Chiang Mai. Groceries, transport and utilities move far less between the two.
For remote workers, the nomad index scores Dubai at 69 and Chiang Mai at 78 — see the full nomad index and our data methodology.