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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,317 per month in Cairns vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,472 per month in Cairns vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,627 per month in Cairns vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cairns costs about 167% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cairns sits 73% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 A$16.15

$1.94 ฿63.5

497.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 A$113

$18.64 ฿609

336.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 A$15.16

$7.82 ฿255

39.13%

Cappuccino

$3.75 A$5.23

$1.95 ฿63.8

92.31%

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

$2.84 A$3.96

$0.85 ฿27.77

234.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 A$3.21

$0.35 ฿11.58

557.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.43 A$8.96

$2.13 ฿69.6

201.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 A$9.70

$3.73 ฿122

86.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.42

$1.71 ฿56.0

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 A$3.40

$1.63 ฿53.2

49.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.74

$1.14 ฿37.15

135.09%

Eggs

$4.00 A$5.58

$1.93 ฿63.1

107.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.40

$16.21 ฿530

-49.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$12.90

$3.12 ฿102

196.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 A$17.78

$10.90 ฿356

17.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.15

$2.75 ฿90.0

8.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.10

$1.21 ฿39.52

84.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.83

$1.62 ฿53.0

69.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.39 A$10.30

$1.59 ฿51.8

364.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.11

$1.40 ฿45.70

59.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$1.17 ฿38.17

99.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 A$3.16

$0.66 ฿21.60

243.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 A$3.99

$0.53 ฿17.22

439.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.71 A$40.01

$4.69 ฿153

512.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 A$16.02

$18.66 ฿609

-38.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 A$4.74

$1.80 ฿58.8

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 A$4.86

$3.23 ฿106

8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 A$4.56

$0.90 ฿29.26

263.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 A$90.5

$19.21 ฿628

238.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 A$9.26

$1.41 ฿45.91

370.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 A$4.44

$1.29 ฿42.12

147.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.95 A$47.31

$7.84 ฿256

333.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 A$1.53

$1.27 ฿41.58

-13.39%

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

$22.8K A$31.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

7.16%

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

$19.1K A$26.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-13.82%

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

$149 A$207

$69.1 ฿2,256

115.45%

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

$37.35 A$52.1

$14.08 ฿460

165.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 A$81.6

$18.00 ฿588

225.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.65 A$53.9

$41.06 ฿1,341

-5.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 A$22.23

$6.96 ฿227

129.17%

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 A$18.45

$5.92 ฿193

123.65%

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

$1,636 A$2,280

$299 ฿9,766

447.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-20.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.6 A$116

$54.7 ฿1,787

52.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 A$92.8

$26.77 ฿874

148.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$141

$85.0 ฿2,776

19.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 A$194

$70.6 ฿2,306

96.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 A$1,714

$428 ฿14.0K

187.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 A$1,548

$237 ฿7,752

367.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 A$2,769

$801 ฿26.2K

147.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 A$2,601

$515 ฿16.8K

262.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,707 A$9,347

$1,975 ฿64.5K

239.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,132 A$7,151

$1,475 ฿48.2K

247.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,549 A$6,338

$617 ฿20.2K

636.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.96

39.20%

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

Last update for Cairns: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Cairns versus $428 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 637% higher in Cairns, 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 $81.0 in Cairns versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $246 – 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

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

Cairns costs about 167% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,476 per month in Cairns and $1,300 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.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Cairns, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Cairns and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Cairns at $2,317. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cairns it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,317 in Cairns. 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, Cairns makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.