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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $680 per month in Calarasi vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,085 per month in Calarasi vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Calarasi vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Calarasi is about 21% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calarasi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 49% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.79 MDL 153

$1.96 ฿65.9

348.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.62 MDL 638

$18.35 ฿617

99.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 MDL 129

$7.48 ฿252

-0.94%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 32.94

$2.02 ฿67.8

-6.44%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.25

$0.85 ฿28.52

16.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.12

$0.36 ฿11.97

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MDL 31.10

$2.14 ฿71.9

-16.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 MDL 41.25

$3.59 ฿121

-33.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.39

$1.65 ฿55.5

-21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 9.11

$1.57 ฿52.7

-66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MDL 25.09

$1.19 ฿40.05

21.01%

Eggs

$2.60 MDL 45.33

$1.94 ฿65.1

34.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 MDL 181

$16.19 ฿545

-35.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 MDL 93.3

$2.99 ฿101

79.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.62 MDL 150

$10.94 ฿368

-21.21%

Apples (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.50

$2.71 ฿91.2

-69.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.86

$1.17 ฿39.27

51.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 MDL 29.39

$1.69 ฿56.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MDL 35.81

$1.60 ฿54.0

28.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.58

$1.38 ฿46.56

-43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.22

$1.20 ฿40.47

-50.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.50

$0.67 ฿22.51

101.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.48

$0.56 ฿18.74

58.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 MDL 55.6

$4.64 ฿156

-31.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 21.11

$1.86 ฿62.6

-34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 MDL 34.14

$3.30 ฿111

-40.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 34.90

$1.36 ฿45.92

47.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.35

$1.34 ฿45.00

-81.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 MDL 91.8

$8.21 ฿276

-35.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.70

$1.22 ฿41.20

16.39%

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

$32.7K MDL 569.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

53.07%

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

$30.7K MDL 534.6K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

36.29%

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

$170 MDL 2,966

$70.7 ฿2,378

141.04%

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

$7.31 MDL 127

$14.04 ฿472

-47.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.03 MDL 192

$17.49 ฿589

-36.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 MDL 131

$5.92 ฿199

27.36%

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

$385 MDL 6,705

$309 ฿10.4K

24.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,574 MDL 131.9K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-49.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 MDL 1,126

$55.8 ฿1,876

16.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 MDL 919

$26.11 ฿879

102.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,931

$83.0 ฿2,793

33.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,107

$70.5 ฿2,371

71.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

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)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

84.80%

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

Last update for Calarasi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Calarasi versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Calarasi vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Calarasi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,020 per month in Calarasi and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $680 in Calarasi and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $385 per month in Calarasi and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $680 in Calarasi and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Calarasi – 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 Calarasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.