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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,073 in Arue versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,589 in Arue versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,105 in Arue versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Arue is roughly 13% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arue 22% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 CFPF 148

$1.96 ฿64.4

-26.02%

White Bread (500g)

$5.00 CFPF 512

$1.50 ฿49.39

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 CFPF 409

$1.34 ฿43.93

198.51%

Eggs

$11.60 CFPF 1,187

$2.26 ฿74.5

413.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$58.2 CFPF 5,952

$16.26 ฿535

257.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.00 CFPF 2,764

$2.95 ฿97.1

815.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.61 CFPF 2,518

$9.94 ฿327

147.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 CFPF 549

$2.57 ฿84.6

108.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 CFPF 293

$1.06 ฿34.73

170.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.89 CFPF 807

$1.61 ฿53.0

390.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.85 CFPF 906

$1.52 ฿49.97

482.24%

Potato (1kg)

$4.43 CFPF 453

$1.27 ฿41.77

248.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CFPF 295

$1.07 ฿35.06

169.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.77 CFPF 386

$0.72 ฿23.68

423.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CFPF 153

$0.51 ฿16.72

194.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.93 CFPF 1,221

$4.19 ฿138

184.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$29.51 CFPF 3,021

$17.87 ฿587

65.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 CFPF 298

$1.69 ฿55.7

72.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 CFPF 799

$2.84 ฿93.3

174.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

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

$165 CFPF 16.8K

$63.7 ฿2,093

158.54%

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

$12.85 ฿423

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 CFPF 12.7K

$20.22 ฿665

514.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

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

$778 ฿25.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Arue: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Arue. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,609 in Arue and $1,421 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 221% higher in Arue. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,073 per month in Arue versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,073 in Arue, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Arue. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $947 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Arue 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 13% less than in Arue. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.