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: $836 in Alexandria versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,380 in Alexandria versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,924 in Alexandria versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 3% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Alexandria 37% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.29 RON 42.62

$1.96 ฿65.9

373.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.04 RON 156

$18.35 ฿617

85.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 RON 32.60

$7.48 ฿252

-4.95%

Cappuccino

$1.88 RON 8.64

$2.02 ฿67.8

-6.93%

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

$1.99 RON 9.11

$0.85 ฿28.52

134.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.54

$0.36 ฿11.97

355.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 RON 10.81

$2.14 ฿71.9

10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 RON 12.52

$3.59 ฿121

-23.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 RON 6.50

$1.65 ฿55.5

-13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.76

$1.57 ฿52.7

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.18

$1.19 ฿40.05

13.45%

Eggs

$1.36 RON 6.26

$1.94 ฿65.1

-29.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.22 RON 23.92

$16.19 ฿545

-67.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 RON 21.32

$2.99 ฿101

55.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 RON 41.14

$10.94 ฿368

-18.01%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$2.71 ฿91.2

-65.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.95

$1.17 ฿39.27

29.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.43

$1.69 ฿56.8

-30.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.17

$1.60 ฿54.0

-29.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 RON 2.04

$1.38 ฿46.56

-68.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 RON 3.06

$1.20 ฿40.47

-44.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 RON 2.02

$0.67 ฿22.51

-34.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 RON 3.32

$0.56 ฿18.74

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.50 RON 25.22

$4.64 ฿156

18.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.41 RON 24.83

$17.62 ฿593

-69.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 RON 3.06

$1.86 ฿62.6

-63.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$3.30 ฿111

-71.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.88 ฿29.70

-19.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.48 RON 108

$19.34 ฿651

21.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 RON 2.20

$1.36 ฿45.92

-64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 RON 2.00

$1.34 ฿45.00

-67.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 RON 22.87

$8.21 ฿276

-39.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.31

$1.22 ฿41.20

30.33%

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

$18.1K RON 82.9K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-15.39%

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

$24.0K RON 110.3K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

6.74%

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

$118 RON 540

$70.7 ฿2,378

66.61%

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

$7.11 RON 32.59

$14.04 ฿472

-49.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.89 RON 31.59

$17.49 ฿589

-60.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 RON 176

$42.15 ฿1,418

-9.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.04 RON 41.44

$6.88 ฿231

31.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 RON 21.74

$5.92 ฿199

-19.93%

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

$431 RON 1,978

$309 ฿10.4K

39.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,025 RON 32.2K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-52.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 RON 319

$55.8 ฿1,876

24.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 RON 160

$26.11 ฿879

33.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 RON 314

$83.0 ฿2,793

-17.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 RON 318

$70.5 ฿2,371

-1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 RON 1,569

$432 ฿14.5K

-20.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 RON 1,058

$239 ฿8,040

-3.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 RON 3,659

$822 ฿27.7K

-2.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 RON 2,617

$512 ฿17.2K

11.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,329 RON 6,093

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-30.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$811 RON 3,722

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-44.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$861 RON 3,951

$579 ฿19.5K

48.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

30.00%

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

Last update for Alexandria: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Alexandria and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Alexandria vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $157 vs $243, with Alexandria 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

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

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Alexandria, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $342 in Alexandria versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $836 per month in Alexandria versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 21% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

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 Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.