Cost of Living Comparison Between Albion and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Albion and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,042 in Albion versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Albion versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,692 in Albion versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Albion is roughly 21% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Albion 22% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 MUR 313

$1.96 ฿65.9

239.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 MUR 2,108

$18.35 ฿617

144.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.56 MUR 308

$7.48 ฿252

-12.30%

Cappuccino

$1.53 MUR 71.7

$2.02 ฿67.8

-24.26%

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

$1.00 MUR 47.17

$0.85 ฿28.52

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.15

$0.36 ฿11.97

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 MUR 94.2

$2.14 ฿71.9

-6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MUR 123

$3.59 ฿121

-27.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MUR 70.8

$1.65 ฿55.5

-8.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MUR 24.84

$1.57 ฿52.7

-66.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MUR 61.7

$1.19 ฿40.05

10.08%

Eggs

$2.26 MUR 106

$1.94 ฿65.1

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.85 MUR 557

$16.19 ฿545

-26.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 MUR 256

$2.99 ฿101

82.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.38 MUR 394

$10.94 ฿368

-23.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 MUR 75.2

$2.71 ฿91.2

-40.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MUR 64.4

$1.17 ฿39.27

17.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 MUR 67.3

$1.69 ฿56.8

-15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MUR 95.4

$1.60 ฿54.0

26.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MUR 41.89

$1.38 ฿46.56

-35.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 MUR 30.18

$1.20 ฿40.47

-46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MUR 30.36

$0.67 ฿22.51

-2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 MUR 14.94

$0.56 ฿18.74

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 MUR 293

$4.64 ฿156

34.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 MUR 375

$17.62 ฿593

-54.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MUR 84.2

$1.86 ฿62.6

-3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MUR 105

$3.30 ฿111

-32.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 MUR 52.8

$0.88 ฿29.70

27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.79 MUR 2,104

$19.34 ฿651

131.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 MUR 209

$1.36 ฿45.92

227.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 MUR 125

$1.34 ฿45.00

98.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.58 MUR 920

$8.21 ฿276

138.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MUR 67.5

$1.22 ฿41.20

18.03%

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

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

65.15%

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

$29.4K MUR 1.4M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

30.44%

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

$49.88 MUR 2,343

$70.7 ฿2,378

-29.42%

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

$18.37 MUR 863

$14.04 ฿472

30.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.18 MUR 1,606

$17.49 ฿589

95.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.7 MUR 3,369

$42.15 ฿1,418

70.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 MUR 288

$5.92 ฿199

3.55%

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

$157 MUR 7,378

$309 ฿10.4K

-49.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,017 MUR 188.7K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-73.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 MUR 2,548

$55.8 ฿1,876

-2.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.73 MUR 2,054

$26.11 ฿879

67.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 MUR 3,653

$83.0 ฿2,793

-6.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 MUR 4,170

$70.5 ฿2,371

26.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 MUR 23.8K

$432 ฿14.5K

17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 MUR 16.7K

$239 ฿8,040

48.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 MUR 45.3K

$822 ฿27.7K

17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 MUR 51.0K

$512 ฿17.2K

111.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

33.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Albion: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $507 in Albion and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Albion vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $243, with Albion cheaper for home cooking.

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

Albion vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albion and Chiang Mai differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,042 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,563 in Albion and $1,292 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $507 in Albion versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 132% less than in Albion. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $157 in Albion versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,042 in Albion, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Albion. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Albion and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Albion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.