Cost of Living Comparison Between Cam Pha and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cam Pha and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $752 in Cam Pha versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,156 in Cam Pha versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,561 in Cam Pha versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cam Pha costs roughly 14% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cam Pha 44% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.87 ₫49.2K

$1.98 ฿64.3

-5.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.04 ₫709.9K

$18.80 ฿612

43.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 ₫111.7K

$7.75 ฿252

-45.16%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ₫49.1K

$1.92 ฿62.5

-2.60%

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

$0.45 ₫11.8K

$0.79 ฿25.79

-43.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,150

$0.36 ฿11.62

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 ₫24.2K

$2.21 ฿72.1

-58.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₫49.7K

$3.66 ฿119

-48.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ₫36.1K

$1.65 ฿53.8

-16.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫25.9K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₫22.2K

$1.19 ฿38.86

-29.41%

Eggs

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$2.00 ฿65.1

-25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 ₫238.2K

$15.98 ฿520

-43.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 ₫102.3K

$3.03 ฿98.5

28.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 ₫252.0K

$10.86 ฿354

-11.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 ₫88.4K

$2.76 ฿90.0

22.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.1K

$1.18 ฿38.42

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₫41.1K

$1.64 ฿53.5

-4.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.1K

$1.52 ฿49.51

-29.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.7K

$1.38 ฿45.10

-26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.4K

$1.19 ฿38.84

-15.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 ₫13.8K

$0.70 ฿22.86

-24.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₫13.8K

$0.56 ฿18.13

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.31 ₫34.5K

$4.58 ฿149

-71.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 ₫342.7K

$16.56 ฿539

-21.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₫24.8K

$1.83 ฿59.5

-48.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₫46.5K

$3.20 ฿104

-44.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫9,053

$0.88 ฿28.56

-61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.64 ₫174.3K

$18.72 ฿610

-64.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₫19.9K

$1.36 ฿44.16

-44.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫15.9K

$1.34 ฿43.65

-54.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 ₫43.8K

$7.84 ฿256

-78.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₫21.7K

$1.23 ฿39.92

-32.52%

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

$38.1K ₫999.2M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

76.04%

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

$32.2K ₫846.4M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

43.01%

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

$80.2 ₫2.1M

$70.5 ฿2,298

13.68%

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

$5.19 ₫136.1K

$13.68 ฿445

-62.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.85 ₫232.3K

$17.45 ฿568

-49.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.56 ₫566.0K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-47.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.45 ₫195.7K

$6.96 ฿227

7.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.77 ₫99.1K

$5.77 ฿188

-34.66%

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

$265 ₫7.0M

$307 ฿10.0K

-13.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K ₫308.9M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-19.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.19 ₫1.2M

$55.8 ฿1,817

-19.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.95 ₫602.5K

$26.21 ฿854

-12.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 ₫2.4M

$85.8 ฿2,793

4.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 ₫1.9M

$72.2 ฿2,353

0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₫9.3M

$430 ฿14.0K

-17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₫6.6M

$239 ฿7,774

4.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₫17.9M

$817 ฿26.6K

-16.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₫12.1M

$511 ฿16.6K

-9.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,381 ₫115.0M

$1,983 ฿64.6K

120.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,591 ₫41.8M

$1,484 ฿48.3K

7.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

82.00%

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

Last update for Cam Pha: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Cam Pha and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cam Pha vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $191 vs $241, with Cam Pha cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cam Pha vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cam Pha wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cam Pha the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,127 in Cam Pha and $1,303 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $354 in Cam Pha versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cam Pha runs roughly 182% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $265 in Cam Pha versus $307 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Cam Pha gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cam Pha delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $752 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cam Pha hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cam Pha 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 Cam Pha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.