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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,163 per month in Arima vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,925 per month in Arima vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,687 per month in Arima vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Arima costs about 35% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Arima and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Arima 13% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.03 TTD 60.8

$1.96 ฿65.9

360.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 TTD 490

$18.35 ฿617

296.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 TTD 50.6

$7.48 ฿252

0.27%

Cappuccino

$2.39 TTD 16.12

$2.02 ฿67.8

18.32%

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

$0.94 TTD 6.36

$0.85 ฿28.52

10.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.07

$0.36 ฿11.97

108.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 TTD 10.70

$2.14 ฿71.9

-25.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.51

$3.59 ฿121

-15.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 TTD 15.31

$1.65 ฿55.5

37.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TTD 15.96

$1.57 ฿52.7

50.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 TTD 15.29

$1.19 ฿40.05

90.76%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.98

$1.94 ฿65.1

121.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 TTD 42.12

$16.19 ฿545

-61.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 TTD 39.27

$2.99 ฿101

94.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.17

$10.94 ฿368

-60.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 38.18

$2.71 ฿91.2

108.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 TTD 13.94

$1.17 ฿39.27

76.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.45

$1.69 ฿56.8

158.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.48

$1.60 ฿54.0

173.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.73

$1.38 ฿46.56

-27.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 TTD 5.65

$1.20 ฿40.47

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.83

$0.67 ฿22.51

117.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TTD 7.72

$0.56 ฿18.74

103.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 TTD 28.92

$4.64 ฿156

-7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.35 TTD 130

$17.62 ฿593

9.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 TTD 12.75

$1.86 ฿62.6

1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 TTD 18.95

$3.30 ฿111

-14.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 TTD 5.31

$0.88 ฿29.70

-10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 TTD 6.19

$1.36 ฿45.92

-32.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.89

$1.34 ฿45.00

-46.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 TTD 98.7

$8.21 ฿276

78.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 TTD 6.33

$1.22 ฿41.20

-22.95%

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

$27.3K TTD 183.7K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

27.62%

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

$27.7K TTD 186.4K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

22.74%

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

$81.5 TTD 549

$70.7 ฿2,378

15.32%

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

$43.65 TTD 294

$14.04 ฿472

210.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 TTD 422

$17.49 ฿589

258.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 TTD 322

$42.15 ฿1,418

13.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.19 TTD 34.98

$5.92 ฿199

-12.33%

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

$131 TTD 881

$309 ฿10.4K

-57.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,074 TTD 47.7K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-52.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 TTD 345

$55.8 ฿1,876

-8.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 TTD 182

$26.11 ฿879

3.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 859

$83.0 ฿2,793

53.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 TTD 505

$70.5 ฿2,371

6.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 TTD 3,267

$432 ฿14.5K

12.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 TTD 2,389

$239 ฿8,040

48.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 TTD 5,680

$822 ฿27.7K

2.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 TTD 4,763

$512 ฿17.2K

38.01%

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)

$1,206 TTD 8,127

$579 ฿19.5K

108.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-40.00%

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

Last update for Arima: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Arima versus $432 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 108% higher in Arima, 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 $73.0 in Arima versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Arima costs about 35% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,745 per month in Arima and $1,292 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 $1,163 in Arima and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Arima and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Arima at $1,163. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,163 in Arima. 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, Arima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.