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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,004 per month in Alexandra vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,566 per month in Alexandra vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,128 per month in Alexandra vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Alexandra costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alexandra and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Alexandra 25% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 R 145

$1.96 ฿64.0

341.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.67 R 565

$18.81 ฿615

79.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 R 82.0

$7.92 ฿259

-38.26%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 35.64

$1.91 ฿62.6

11.52%

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

$0.98 R 16.51

$0.84 ฿27.41

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.62

$0.35 ฿11.51

131.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 R 36.98

$2.21 ฿72.1

-0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 43.24

$3.80 ฿124

-32.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.40

$1.64 ฿53.5

-29.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.89

$1.62 ฿53.1

-33.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 R 27.19

$1.18 ฿38.62

37.29%

Eggs

$2.39 R 40.02

$2.01 ฿65.8

18.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 R 133

$15.89 ฿520

-50.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 R 78.6

$3.01 ฿98.5

55.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 R 110

$10.77 ฿352

-38.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 R 27.18

$2.61 ฿85.5

-37.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.83

$1.22 ฿39.88

21.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.74

$1.70 ฿55.7

-12.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 R 28.10

$1.58 ฿51.5

6.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.94

$1.32 ฿43.14

-0.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R 19.75

$1.17 ฿38.23

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 17.69

$0.67 ฿21.98

56.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 15.11

$0.56 ฿18.32

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 R 48.30

$4.53 ฿148

-36.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 R 87.4

$18.20 ฿595

-71.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R 22.07

$1.83 ฿60.0

-27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.64

$3.23 ฿106

-48.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 28.04

$0.89 ฿29.00

87.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 19.15

$1.35 ฿44.20

-15.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 16.00

$1.35 ฿44.05

-29.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 R 52.9

$8.25 ฿270

-61.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.79

$1.27 ฿41.64

-2.36%

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

$19.3K R 324.0K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-8.68%

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

$23.6K R 395.5K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

4.88%

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

$117 R 1,966

$70.2 ฿2,294

67.10%

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

$37.94 R 636

$13.77 ฿450

175.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.95 R 636

$17.60 ฿575

115.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.94 R 519

$41.57 ฿1,360

-25.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 R 125

$5.78 ฿189

28.89%

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

$196 R 3,280

$306 ฿10.0K

-36.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,290 R 71.9K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-71.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 R 835

$54.4 ฿1,778

-8.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.67 R 548

$26.14 ฿855

24.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 R 1,485

$84.5 ฿2,764

4.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 R 1,337

$69.4 ฿2,270

14.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 R 6,069

$424 ฿13.9K

-14.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 R 5,612

$238 ฿7,788

40.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 R 11.4K

$825 ฿27.0K

-17.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 R 11.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

31.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$828 R 13.9K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-59.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 R 10.8K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-57.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,731 R 29.0K

$635 ฿20.8K

172.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

130.20%

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

Last update for Alexandra: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Alexandra versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 173% higher in Alexandra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Alexandra versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Alexandra vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Alexandra wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Alexandra costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,506 per month in Alexandra and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,004 in Alexandra and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Alexandra and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,004 in Alexandra and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,004 in Alexandra. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alexandra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.