Which place is cheaper, Chiang Mai or Doha?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Doha or Chiang Mai?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Doha and Chiang Mai can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Doha or Chiang Mai?
Doha
Doha is the capital city of Qatar, modern and rapidly developing with much construction underway. It is home to Doha International Airport, the main point of entry for Qatar, as well as many of the country's best museums and examples of cultural heritage.
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is both the cultural center of northern Thailand and a launching point for trips into the rural areas, small towns, and lush jungles of the country's northern regions. Known for great food, historic temples, arts and crafts, and a lively night market, Chiang Mai is a very popular destination for travelers. In some areas, tourists and ex-pats dominate, but it's quite easy to get away from the tourist scene and into the real culture of Thailand, as Chiang Mai (and the surrounding countryside) is quite large.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket.
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Doha Prices
Qatar PricesChiang Mai Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDoha $244Chiang Mai $58
The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $244, while the average daily cost in Chiang Mai is $58. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Doha and Chiang Mai in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDoha $119Chiang Mai $29
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDoha $238Chiang Mai $58
Compare Hotels in Doha and Chiang Mai
Looking for a hotel in Doha or Chiang Mai? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Doha Hotel Prices and Chiang Mai Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Doha $23Chiang Mai $3.97
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:
- Entry to Angry Birds World with Transfer to Park and Top Up- Private Tour: $174
- Desert Horse Riding Tour With Transfers From Doha: $160
- Doha Horseback Riding Adventure in Desert with Transfers: $139
- Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $129
- Airport Transfer: Doha Airport DOH to Doha by Luxury Van: $129
- Doha Arabian Horseback Riding Adventure in Desert with Transfers: $120
- Doha Private Airport Transfer: $99
- Hamad Airport Transfer Service – 24/7 Door-to-Door Transport: $98
- Private Transfer from Doha Hamad Airport(DOH) to Doha Cruise Port: $95
- Private Transfer: Hamad Airport DOH to Doha by Business Car: $84
- Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Business Car: $84
- Qatar Doha Airport (DOH) to Doha - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $82
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Chiang Mai
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Chiang Mai are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$1.19
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Moped Rental$5.37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chiang Mai
Also for Chiang Mai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall & Dantewada Cafe with Hotel Transfer: $21
- Chiang Dao to Chiang Mai Airport CNX Private Departure Transfer: $70
- Chiang Mai Airport CNX to Chiang Dao Round Trip Private Transfer: $141
- Chiang Mai Airport Private Transfer – Arrival or Departure: $25
- Chiang Mai Airport Private Van Transfer – Arrival or Departure: $38
- Chiang Mai Airport To / From Hotel with Private Transfer: $23
- Chiang Mai Airport Transfer CNX and Chiang Mai Hotels: $20
- Chiang Mai Airport Transfer by Private Van – Arrival or Departure: $52
- Chiang Mai Chiang Rai Temples Tour with Premium Transfer: $240
- Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Private Transfer: $8.00
- Chiang Mai International Airport Arrival Shared Transfer: $15
- Chiang Mai International Airport Departure Shared Transfer: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Doha or Chiang Mai?
Prices for flights to both Chiang Mai and Doha change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayDoha $106Chiang Mai $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.
- Starlight Dhow Cruise Dinner Experience on Doha Waterfront: $34
- Traditional Sunset Dhow Cruise Tour with BBQ Buffet Dinner: $35
- Traditional Dhow Cruise Tour with Dinner on board: $50
- Sunset Dinner Cruise in Doha Bay A Traditional Dhow Experience: $55
- Qatar: Desert Dune Bashing with lunch/dinner in Desert Beach Camp: $55
- Moonlight Dinner Cruise with Transfers: $59
- Full-day Desert Beach Camp with Buffet lunch/dinner: $60
- Private Souk Waqif Tour with Lunch/Dinner: $85
- Full Day Desert Safari with Camp Access, Buffet Dinner,Camel Ride: $99
- Qatar Desert Safari Tour with Bedouin Camp Lunch or Dinner: $130
- Overnight Private Desert Safari with Buffet Dinner and Camel Ride: $149
- Full Day Desert Safari with Inland Sea Visit and Buffet Dinner: $150
Typical Food Prices in Chiang Mai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Chiang Mai:
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Sit Down Dinner (for One)$5.82
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Roti Snack (Bread)$0.72
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Casual Breakfast$1.19
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$5.97
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Mangoes$0.89
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Coffee$1.49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chiang Mai
For Chiang Mai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Morning Class Chiang Mai Visit Organic Garden and Market: $12
- Cooking Evening Class Chiang Mai Visit Organic Garden and Market: $12
- Half-Day Thai Cuisine Cooking Experience in Chiang Mai: $27
- The Rice Barn Thai Cooking Farm Chiangmai: $28
- Chiang Mai Lanna Thai Cooking Class with Mae Malai Market: $28
- Private Virtual Thai Cooking Class: $28
- Half-Day Cooking Class: $28
- Half-Day Thai Cooking Class at Organic Farm in Chiang Mai: $28
- Morning Thai cooking class: $28
- Khantoke Dinner at Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center: $29
- Half Day Evening Cooking Class with Market Tour in Chiang Mai: $29
- Half Day Morning Cooking Class with Market Tour in Chiang Mai: $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Doha $18Chiang Mai $14
Tours and Activities in Doha
Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3-2-1 Olympic and Sports Museum ticket | Qatar: $23
- 4 Hours-Doha City Private or Shared Tour from AirPort/ Hotel: $54
- 4 Hrs Private Doha Tour: Discover the City’s Premier Attractions!: $115
- 4 hours Desert Safari Experience in Doha up to Group of 5: $260
- 4-Hour Private Group City Tour in Doha, Qatar: $45
- 6 Hours Private Full Day Tour in Doha: $130
- 8-Hour Private Cultural Tour: $200
- All Main Doha City Attractions Tour: $50
- Attractions of Doha City Exploration ( 4-Hours Doha City Tour): $60
- Brouq Reserve and East to West 4WD Private Tour: $140
- City Tour and Desert Safari with Camel Ride and Sand Boarding: $88
- Combo City Tour and Desert Safari Adventure: $120
Typical Entertainment Prices in Chiang Mai
For Chiang Mai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Thai Cooking Class$39
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Doi Suthep Entrance Ticket$1.79
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Kratong Lessons$2.98
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Pedicure$4.47
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Chiang Mai Museum (for Two)$5.37
Tours and Activities in Chiang Mai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chiang Mai.
- Chiang Mai Eco Tourism Elephant Poop Paper Creative Experience: $6.14
- Tube Trek Water Park Tickets in San Kamphaeng, Chiang Mai: $9.80
- Doi Suthep Temple Tour by Local Red Car 3 Hour Adventure: $12
- Doi Suthep Temple Tour by Local Red Car – 3 Hours Experience: $12
- Chiang Mai Old City Temple Tour: $12
- Art in Paradise: Chiang Mai 3D Art Museum Experience: $15
- Skip the Line: Chiang Mai Art in Paradise Admission Ticket: $16
- FAM Fahlanna Art Museum Admission Ticket, Chiang Mai: $17
- Chiang Mai Mae Ping River Cruise and Thai Farmer House Visit: $18
- Chiang Mai Temples & Old City Hidden Gems Small Group Tour 2 Hrs: $18
- Best seller!! Amazing Night tour, Doi Suthep + Wat umong - Top Must visit!: $19
- Chiang Mai Farm Life & Khao Soy Tasting on a Half Day Boat Tour: $19
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDoha $15Chiang Mai $7.39
Typical Alcohol Prices in Chiang Mai
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Chiang Mai are as follows:
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Wine$2.98
Sample the Local Flavors in Chiang Mai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Chiang Mai:
- Chiang Mai Pub Crawl: 4 Venues, Beer Buffet & VIP Entry: $21
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Doha and Chiang Mai, we can see that Doha is more expensive. And not only is Chiang Mai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Doha is in Middle East and Chiang Mai is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Chiang Mai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chiang Mai and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Doha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Doha than you might in Chiang Mai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Doha Expensive? and Is Chiang Mai Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Doha or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Doha. When comparing the sizes of Doha and Chiang Mai, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.