Which place is cheaper, Chiang Mai or Jerusalem?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Jerusalem or Chiang Mai?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Jerusalem or Chiang Mai, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Jerusalem or Chiang Mai?
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is the capital city of Israel, as well as one of the most historically rich cities in the world. It is also the largest city in the country. While Tel Aviv holds many of the responsibilities of a capital city, officially, Jerusalem is still considered the capital. It is important to note that most countries have their embassies in Tel Aviv, not in Jerusalem.
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 Luxury Tours to Israel, The Best Budget Tours to Israel, The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJerusalem $107Chiang Mai $45
The average daily cost (per person) in Jerusalem is $107, while the average daily cost in Chiang Mai is $45. 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 Jerusalem and Chiang Mai in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJerusalem $63Chiang Mai $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJerusalem $126Chiang Mai $52
Compare Hotels in Jerusalem and Chiang Mai
Looking for a hotel in Jerusalem 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: Jerusalem Hotel Prices and Chiang Mai Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Jerusalem $6.64Chiang Mai $3.63
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jerusalem
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jerusalem are as follows:
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Local Bus$3.13
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Light Rail Jerusalem$9.68
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jerusalem
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Jerusalem:
- Private Transfer From Ben Gurion Airport To Haifa Hotels : $300
- Jerusalem Private Transfer To Petra: $290
- Private Transfer from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv: $247
- Transfer Between Tel Aviv city and Jerusalem city: $209
- Jerusalem Private Transfer To Amman: $195
- Allenby Bridge to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv Private Transfer: $170
- Private Transfer from Dead Sea Hotels to Aqaba Airport: $160
- Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport Private Transfer: $150
- Jerusalem to Allenby Bridge Private Transfer: $150
- Private Airport Transfers to/from Hotel: $144
- VIP transfer between Ben Gurion Airport and Jerusalem: $130
- VIP Transfer between Ben Gurion Airport and Jerusalem: $130
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$1.09
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Moped Rental$4.91
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chiang Mai
Also for Chiang Mai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service Chiang Mai HTL-APT(CNX): $5.30
- Try find your better than us!Airport transfer service in Chiang Mai APT-HTL(CNX): $5.30
- Chiang Mai Airport Private Transfer to Hotel Or From Hotel To Airport : $5.41
- Chiang Mai Private Car :Airport To Hotel transfer (one way) : $7.47
- Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Private Transfer: $8.00
- Private Airport Transfer in Chiang Mai to/from Chiangmai Town: $8.87
- Chiang Mai Airport Private Departure Transfers: $10
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX): $11
- Chiang Mai Airport (CNX): One-Way Private Transfer: $12
- Chiang Mai Airport Departure – Private Transfer from Hotel to Airport: $13
- Chiang Mai Shared Arrival or Departure Transfer: $14
- Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Arrival Shared Transfer: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Jerusalem or Chiang Mai?
Prices for flights to both Chiang Mai and Jerusalem 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 dayJerusalem $31Chiang Mai $10
Typical Food Prices in Jerusalem
Some typical examples of dining costs in Jerusalem are as follows:
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Orange Juice$2.65
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Watermelon$3.98
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Lunch$12
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Food at Market$15
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Juice$2.65
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Bagels$7.96
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Lunch for 2$14
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Snacks$5.57
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jerusalem
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Jerusalem.
- Private Lunch or Dinner at a Local Traditional Restaurant from Dead Sea: $96
- Private Madaba Haret Jdoudna Restaurant Lunch or Dinner from Dead Sea: $115
- The Best Food Tour in Jerusalem-Perfect for Viral Travel Content: $117
- Christmas Eve in Israel: Jerusalem Sightseeing Tour with Dinner and Midnight Mass Viewing in Bethlehem: $125
- Experience Shabbat With Dinner In Jerusalem: $170
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)$5.32
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Roti Snack (Bread)$0.65
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Casual Breakfast$1.09
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$5.46
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Mangoes$0.82
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Coffee$1.36
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 Evening Class Chiang Mai Visit Organic Garden and Market: $11
- Cooking Morning Class Chiang Mai Visit Organic Garden and Market : $11
- Traditional Khantoke Dinner and Show from Chiang Mai: $19
- Khantoke Dinner with Traditional Performance: $22
- Morning Cooking Class in Organic Garden | Chiang Mai: $22
- Afternoon Cooking Class in Organic Garden in Chiang Mai: $22
- Half-Day Thai Cooking Class at Organic Farm in Chiang Mai: $22
- Evening Cooking Class and Local Market Visit: $24
- Cooking Class, Market and Thai Herbs Garden Tour: $24
- Private Virtual Thai Cooking Class: $25
- Half Day Morning Cooking Class with Yummy Tasty Thai Cooking School: $25
- Authentic Easy Thai Recipes for Home-Style Cooking Half Day AM: $25
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Jerusalem $8.43Chiang Mai $13
Typical Entertainment Prices in Jerusalem
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Jerusalem are as follows:
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Cooking Classes for 2$33
Tours and Activities in Jerusalem
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Jerusalem are as follows:
- 2 Days Bethlehem, Herodion, Judean Desert Monasteries and Jericho Private Tour: $275
- Political Private Tour Ramallah: $140
- (From Jerusalem) One-Day Tour to Bethlehem Jericho & Jordan River Qasr alyahood: $99
- 2 Hour Shooting Experience: $173
- 360 Virtual Tour of Ancient Jerusalem: $6.00
- Amazing Family Tour in Jerusalem: $502
- Ashdod Shore Excursion: Jerusalem and Bethlehem - for cruise ship guests only: $115
- Best of Jerusalem Day Tour from Jerusalem: $84
- Best of Jerusalem Full-Day Tour from Jerusalem: $69
- Bethlehem & Dead Sea Day Tour from Jerusalem & Tel Aviv: $147
- Bethlehem Alternative Tour: $90
- Bethlehem Christian Guided Tour: $20
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$35
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Doi Suthep Entrance Ticket$1.64
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Kratong Lessons$2.73
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Pedicure$4.09
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Chiang Mai Museum (for Two)$4.91
Tours and Activities in Chiang Mai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chiang Mai.
- Scavenger Hunt City Tour for Your Smartphone: $7.65
- Chiang Mai Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.84
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Art in Paradise Illusion Museum Entry Ticket: $11
- Mae Ping River Cruise: $12
- Old City and Temples Guided Walking Tour: $14
- Local Food and Markets Guided Walking Tour: $14
- Skip the Line: Chiang Mai Art in Paradise Admission Ticket: $14
- Tweechol Botanic Garden Half Day Adventure : $14
- Chiang Mai Old City & Temples Guided Walking Tour - 2 Hrs: $15
- Chiang Mai Michelin Food Walking Tour with Professional Tour Guide: $15
- Circuit Karting Experience at Chiang Mai Circuit - Go Kart: $16
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJerusalem $16Chiang Mai $6.76
Typical Alcohol Prices in Jerusalem
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Jerusalem are as follows:
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Beer$4.77
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$2.73
Sample the Local Flavors in Chiang Mai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Chiang Mai:
- Chiang Mai Pub Crawl: The Best Bars & Pubs in Chiang Mai!: $9.46
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jerusalem and Chiang Mai, we can see that Jerusalem is more expensive. And not only is Chiang Mai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Jerusalem 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 Jerusalem would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Jerusalem 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 Jerusalem Expensive? and Is Chiang Mai Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Jerusalem or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai has a larger population, and is about 40% larger than the population of Jerusalem. When comparing the sizes of Jerusalem 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.
When is the best time to visit Jerusalem or Chiang Mai?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Should I visit Jerusalem or Chiang Mai in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Jerusalem as well as Chiang Mai. Jerusalem attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Chiang Mai throughout the year.
June to September in Chiang Mai is the rainy season. It's quite rainy in Chiang Mai. Jerusalem usually gets less rain in July than Chiang Mai. Jerusalem gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Chiang Mai receives 161 mm (6.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Jerusalem this time of the year. In the summer, Jerusalem often gets more sunshine than Chiang Mai. Jerusalem gets 364 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Chiang Mai receives 146 hours of full sun.
Jerusalem is cooler than Chiang Mai in the summer. The daily temperature in Jerusalem averages around 23°C (73°F) in July, and Chiang Mai fluctuates around 30°C (86°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyJerusalem 23°C (73°F)Chiang Mai 30°C (86°F)
Should I visit Jerusalem or Chiang Mai in the Autumn?
Both Chiang Mai and Jerusalem are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Jerusalem throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Chiang Mai because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The dry season in Chiang Mai is November to February. It rains a lot this time of the year in Chiang Mai. In October, Jerusalem usually receives less rain than Chiang Mai. Jerusalem gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Chiang Mai receives 122 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
It's quite sunny in Chiang Mai. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Jerusalem. Jerusalem usually receives more sunshine than Chiang Mai during autumn. Jerusalem gets 274 hours of sunny skies, while Chiang Mai receives 226 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In the autumn, Jerusalem is much colder than Chiang Mai. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Jerusalem in October average around 19°C (66°F), and Chiang Mai averages at about 29°C (83°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberJerusalem 19°C (66°F)Chiang Mai 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Jerusalem or Chiang Mai in the Winter?
Both Chiang Mai and Jerusalem during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Jerusalem because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Chiang Mai year-round.
November to February is the dry season in Chiang Mai. Jerusalem usually gets more rain in January than Chiang Mai. Jerusalem gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Chiang Mai receives 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
In Chiang Mai, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Jerusalem often gets less sunshine than Chiang Mai. Jerusalem gets 184 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Chiang Mai receives 283 hours of full sun.
In January, Jerusalem is generally much colder than Chiang Mai. Daily temperatures in Jerusalem average around 8°C (46°F), and Chiang Mai fluctuates around 23°C (74°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryJerusalem 8°C (46°F)Chiang Mai 23°C (74°F)
Should I visit Jerusalem or Chiang Mai in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Jerusalem and Chiang Mai. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Jerusalem year-round. Chiang Mai attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Also, June to September is the rainy season in Chiang Mai. In April, Jerusalem usually receives less rain than Chiang Mai. Jerusalem gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Chiang Mai receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Chiang Mai this time of the year. In Jerusalem, it's very sunny this time of the year. Jerusalem usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Chiang Mai during spring. Jerusalem gets 269 hours of sunny skies, while Chiang Mai receives 275 hours of full sun in the spring.
The heat can be very extreme in Chiang Mai. Jerusalem is much colder than Chiang Mai in the spring. The daily temperature in Jerusalem averages around 16°C (61°F) in April, and Chiang Mai fluctuates around 31°C (88°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilJerusalem 16°C (61°F)Chiang Mai 31°C (88°F)
Typical Weather for Chiang Mai and Jerusalem
| Jerusalem | Chiang Mai | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 8°C (46°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 7 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 9°C (48°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Mar | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 13 mm (0.5 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (61°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 31°C (88°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| May | 19°C (66°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 31°C (87°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) |
| Jun | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 30°C (86°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 30°C (86°F) | 161 mm (6.3 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 236 mm (9.3 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 228 mm (9 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| Dec | 10°C (50°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
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.