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 $988 per month in Calarasi vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,476 per month in Calarasi vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,965 per month in Calarasi vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Calarasi costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Calarasi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 26% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 RON 45.08

$1.96 ฿65.9

401.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 RON 128

$18.35 ฿617

51.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 RON 36.58

$7.48 ฿252

6.68%

Cappuccino

$2.69 RON 12.34

$2.02 ฿67.8

33.17%

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

$1.53 RON 7.01

$0.85 ฿28.52

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 RON 8.23

$0.36 ฿11.97

397.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 RON 10.45

$2.14 ฿71.9

6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 RON 15.51

$3.59 ฿121

-5.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 RON 6.23

$1.65 ฿55.5

-17.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 RON 5.03

$1.57 ฿52.7

-29.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.74

$1.19 ฿40.05

42.02%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.92

$1.94 ฿65.1

67.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 RON 39.28

$16.19 ฿545

-47.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 RON 31.81

$2.99 ฿101

132.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 RON 42.04

$10.94 ฿368

-16.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.40

$2.71 ฿91.2

-56.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 RON 6.70

$1.17 ฿39.27

24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$1.69 ฿56.8

-21.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 RON 9.10

$1.60 ฿54.0

23.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.68

$1.38 ฿46.56

-42.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.37

$1.20 ฿40.47

-20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.25

$0.67 ฿22.51

5.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.69

$0.56 ฿18.74

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 RON 26.08

$4.64 ฿156

22.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.32 RON 19.82

$17.62 ฿593

-75.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RON 4.10

$1.86 ฿62.6

-52.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 RON 6.28

$3.30 ฿111

-58.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 RON 2.04

$0.88 ฿29.70

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.57 RON 62.2

$19.34 ฿651

-29.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$1.36 ฿45.92

-47.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.94

$1.34 ฿45.00

-52.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 RON 26.64

$8.21 ฿276

-29.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.32

$1.22 ฿41.20

31.15%

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

$24.7K RON 113.3K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

15.68%

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

$26.9K RON 123.3K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

19.29%

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

$148 RON 680

$70.7 ฿2,378

109.91%

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

$8.24 RON 37.77

$14.04 ฿472

-41.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.53 RON 34.54

$17.49 ฿589

-56.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.8 RON 320

$42.15 ฿1,418

65.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 RON 86.8

$6.88 ฿231

175.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 RON 27.58

$5.92 ฿199

1.52%

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

$434 RON 1,989

$309 ฿10.4K

40.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,908 RON 31.7K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-53.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 RON 378

$55.8 ฿1,876

47.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.72 RON 196

$26.11 ฿879

63.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 RON 346

$83.0 ฿2,793

-9.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 RON 458

$70.5 ฿2,371

41.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 RON 1,754

$432 ฿14.5K

-11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 RON 1,058

$239 ฿8,040

-3.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 RON 2,656

$822 ฿27.7K

-29.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 RON 1,671

$512 ฿17.2K

-28.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,240 RON 5,688

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-35.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$984 RON 4,514

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-32.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$741 RON 3,396

$579 ฿19.5K

27.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

32.40%

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

Last update for Calarasi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Calarasi 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 28% higher in Calarasi, 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 $28.00 in Calarasi versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $195 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

Monthly costs with rent: $988 in Calarasi, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 15% apart. Calarasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,481 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.

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.

Kindergarten costs $434 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Calarasi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Calarasi at $988. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calarasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $861 in Chiang Mai to $988 in Calarasi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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