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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,305 per month in Best vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,211 per month in Best vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,117 per month in Best vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Best costs about 165% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Best sits 72% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 €17.81

$1.98 ฿64.3

943.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.8 €79.9

$18.80 ฿612

393.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.84

$7.75 ฿252

47.35%

Cappuccino

$3.39 €2.92

$1.92 ฿62.5

76.56%

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

$3.33 €2.87

$0.79 ฿25.79

321.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 €2.39

$0.36 ฿11.62

669.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 €4.45

$2.21 ฿72.1

133.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 €5.09

$3.66 ฿119

61.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.65 ฿53.8

-29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$1.63 ฿53.2

27.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 €2.75

$1.19 ฿38.86

168.07%

Eggs

$4.86 €4.19

$2.00 ฿65.1

143.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 €11.48

$15.98 ฿520

-16.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.09 €13.86

$3.03 ฿98.5

431.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 €14.36

$10.86 ฿354

53.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.76 ฿90.0

-23.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.18 ฿38.42

109.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.64 ฿53.5

18.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 €3.17

$1.52 ฿49.51

142.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.85

$1.38 ฿45.10

55.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.19 ฿38.84

65.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.04

$0.70 ฿22.86

72.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 €0.45

$0.56 ฿18.13

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 €9.00

$4.58 ฿149

127.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 €4.85

$16.56 ฿539

-66.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.83 ฿59.5

-15.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$3.20 ฿104

-14.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 €2.16

$0.88 ฿28.56

185.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 €60.9

$18.72 ฿610

277.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 €2.96

$1.36 ฿44.16

152.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.34 ฿43.65

58.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.17 €25.13

$7.84 ฿256

272.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.23 ฿39.92

82.93%

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

$25.2K €21.7K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

16.45%

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

$28.0K €24.1K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

24.12%

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

$168 €145

$70.5 ฿2,298

138.36%

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

$22.87 €19.71

$13.68 ฿445

67.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.00 €39.63

$17.45 ฿568

163.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.75 €24.78

$41.33 ฿1,346

-30.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.32 €18.37

$6.96 ฿227

206.32%

Cinema Ticket

$14.67 €12.64

$5.77 ฿188

154.25%

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

$1,173 €1,011

$307 ฿10.0K

282.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,940 €4,256

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-66.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 €56.4

$55.8 ฿1,817

17.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.81 €26.55

$26.21 ฿854

17.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 €75.9

$85.8 ฿2,793

2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.0 €57.7

$72.2 ฿2,353

-7.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 €1,589

$430 ฿14.0K

329.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 €977

$239 ฿7,774

375.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 €2,205

$817 ฿26.6K

213.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 €1,207

$511 ฿16.6K

174.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,137 €4,426

$1,983 ฿64.6K

159.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,525 €3,899

$1,484 ฿48.3K

204.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,140 €3,567

$619 ฿20.2K

568.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

-30.00%

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

Last update for Best: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,844 in Best versus $430 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 569% higher in Best, 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 $93.0 in Best versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $241 – 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

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

Yes – Best is pricier by about 165%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,458 per month in Best and $1,303 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 $2,305 in Best and $869 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 278% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Best at $2,305. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Best it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Best makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.