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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $739 in Cam Ranh versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Cam Ranh versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,629 in Cam Ranh versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cam Ranh costs roughly 22% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cam Ranh 46% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.65 ₫69.1K

$2.08 ฿69.2

27.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.37 ₫609.2K

$19.64 ฿651

18.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.40 ₫114.7K

$5.65 ฿188

-22.12%

Cappuccino

$1.60 ₫41.7K

$1.81 ฿59.9

-11.60%

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

$0.41 ₫10.6K

$0.71 ฿23.66

-42.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ₫6,019

$0.32 ฿10.48

-28.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.59 ₫15.5K

$2.24 ฿74.2

-73.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₫32.4K

$3.63 ฿121

-65.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ₫38.2K

$1.96 ฿65.0

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₫11.4K

$1.50 ฿49.83

-70.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₫25.3K

$1.34 ฿44.32

-27.61%

Eggs

$1.36 ₫35.5K

$2.26 ฿75.1

-39.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 ₫313.4K

$16.26 ฿539

-26.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 ₫81.1K

$2.95 ฿98.0

5.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.27 ₫293.7K

$9.94 ฿330

13.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ₫50.8K

$2.57 ฿85.3

-24.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₫20.4K

$1.06 ฿35.04

-26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 ₫29.0K

$1.61 ฿53.5

-31.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 ₫31.9K

$1.52 ฿50.4

-19.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ₫19.8K

$1.27 ฿42.14

-40.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ₫18.5K

$1.07 ฿35.37

-33.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ₫19.5K

$0.72 ฿23.89

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₫9,834

$0.51 ฿16.87

-25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ₫39.4K

$4.19 ฿139

-63.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 ₫296.4K

$17.87 ฿593

-36.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₫15.0K

$1.69 ฿56.2

-66.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₫46.1K

$2.84 ฿94.1

-37.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ₫7,958

$0.93 ฿30.70

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.58 ₫171.5K

$53.9 ฿1,787

-87.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 ₫15.4K

$1.23 ฿40.95

-52.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ₫14.4K

$0.58 ฿19.13

-5.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 ₫60.7K

$2.42 ฿80.4

-3.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₫23.0K

$1.41 ฿46.84

-37.59%

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

$30.9K ₫805.2M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

44.03%

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

$28.1K ₫733.4M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

2.91%

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

$76.6 ₫2.0M

$63.7 ฿2,112

20.28%

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

$6.34 ₫165.3K

$12.85 ฿426

-50.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.48 ₫247.3K

$20.22 ฿671

-53.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.65 ₫564.5K

$38.74 ฿1,285

-44.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.80 ₫203.4K

$3.97 ฿132

96.47%

Cinema Ticket

$1.87 ₫48.6K

$6.74 ฿223

-72.26%

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

$286 ₫7.5M

$778 ฿25.8K

-63.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,817 ₫99.5M

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-73.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.21 ₫1.1M

$54.3 ฿1,801

-24.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.72 ₫696.7K

$25.45 ฿844

4.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.04 ₫1.3M

$94.3 ฿3,129

-48.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 ₫2.1M

$73.4 ฿2,436

11.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$416 ₫10.8M

$490 ฿16.2K

-15.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 ₫7.2M

$289 ฿9,596

-4.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 ₫19.4M

$894 ฿29.6K

-16.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ₫15.7M

$517 ฿17.1K

16.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,883 ₫75.2M

$1,955 ฿64.9K

47.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,320 ₫34.4M

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-10.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.55

5.57

53.50%

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

Last update for Cam Ranh: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $416 in Cam Ranh and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Cam Ranh vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $240, with Cam Ranh 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 Ranh vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cam Ranh wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cam Ranh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,109 in Cam Ranh and $1,421 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: $416 in Cam Ranh versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $739 per month in Cam Ranh versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cam Ranh runs roughly 719% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $739 in Cam Ranh versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cam Ranh but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Cam Ranh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cam Ranh delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $739 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cam Ranh hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cam Ranh 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 Ranh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.