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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $894 in Alexandria versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,431 in Alexandria versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Alexandria versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Alexandria is roughly 4% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Alexandria 33% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.64 JMD 1,204

$1.96 ฿65.9

289.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 JMD 10.0K

$18.35 ฿617

246.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 JMD 1,390

$7.48 ฿252

17.91%

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 678

$2.02 ฿67.8

113.37%

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

$1.30 JMD 206

$0.85 ฿28.52

52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 110

$0.36 ฿11.97

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 JMD 388

$2.14 ฿71.9

14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 497

$3.59 ฿121

-12.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.20 JMD 662

$1.65 ฿55.5

154.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 573

$1.57 ฿52.7

131.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.19 ฿40.05

36.13%

Eggs

$3.57 JMD 562

$1.94 ฿65.1

84.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 JMD 1,753

$16.19 ฿545

-31.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 JMD 994

$2.99 ฿101

111.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 JMD 1,181

$10.94 ฿368

-31.54%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 JMD 971

$2.71 ฿91.2

127.31%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 487

$1.17 ฿39.27

164.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 JMD 674

$1.69 ฿56.8

152.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 JMD 465

$1.60 ฿54.0

84.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 332

$1.38 ฿46.56

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$1.20 ฿40.47

60.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 JMD 473

$0.67 ฿22.51

347.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 229

$0.56 ฿18.74

158.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.85 JMD 1,395

$4.64 ฿156

90.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 JMD 1,796

$17.62 ฿593

-35.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 443

$1.86 ฿62.6

51.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 505

$3.30 ฿111

-3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 JMD 171

$1.36 ฿45.92

-20.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 506

$1.34 ฿45.00

139.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.11 JMD 962

$8.21 ฿276

-25.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.22 ฿41.20

0.82%

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

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

104.81%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

49.91%

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

$162 JMD 25.5K

$70.7 ฿2,378

128.98%

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

$21.86 JMD 3,444

$14.04 ฿472

55.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 JMD 7,950

$17.49 ฿589

188.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,081

$5.92 ฿199

123.14%

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

$227 JMD 35.8K

$309 ฿10.4K

-26.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,437 JMD 384.1K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-83.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.71 JMD 4,052

$55.8 ฿1,876

-53.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.05 JMD 4,105

$26.11 ฿879

-0.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 JMD 11.4K

$83.0 ฿2,793

-13.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

$70.5 ฿2,371

7.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

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 %)

9.15

83.00%

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

Last update for Alexandria: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Alexandria vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Alexandria and Chiang Mai differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($894 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 $1,342 in Alexandria 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.

Childcare runs $227 in Alexandria versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $64.0 in Alexandria. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Alexandria 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 4% less than in Alexandria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.