Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cam Ranh and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Cam Ranh: $740 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Cam Ranh
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Cam Ranh Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Cam Ranh

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$740

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cam Ranh and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cam Ranh and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $740 in Cam Ranh versus $925 in Chiang Mai.

Cam Ranh $740
Chiang Mai $925

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,235 in Cam Ranh versus $1,414 in Chiang Mai.

Cam Ranh $1,235
Chiang Mai $1,414

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,730 in Cam Ranh versus $1,903 in Chiang Mai.

Cam Ranh $1,730
Chiang Mai $1,903

Living in Cam Ranh costs roughly 20% less than in Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cam Ranh 45% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 ₫67.3K

$2.29 ฿76.5

13.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.57 ₫610.2K

$19.64 ฿656

20.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫121.4K

$5.61 ฿188

-16.40%

Cappuccino

$1.64 ₫42.4K

$1.66 ฿55.6

-1.20%

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

$0.40 ₫10.3K

$0.70 ฿23.40

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ₫5,434

$0.31 ฿10.24

-32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.60 ₫15.5K

$2.41 ฿80.4

-75.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₫31.8K

$3.71 ฿124

-66.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.2K

$1.95 ฿65.3

-24.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₫11.5K

$1.41 ฿47.03

-68.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫25.8K

$1.31 ฿43.62

-23.66%

Eggs

$1.42 ₫36.8K

$2.18 ฿72.9

-34.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 ₫315.8K

$16.65 ฿556

-26.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ₫78.5K

$2.76 ฿92.2

9.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.05 ₫286.0K

$9.11 ฿304

21.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ₫50.6K

$2.39 ฿80.0

-18.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 ₫19.9K

$1.03 ฿34.26

-25.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 ₫28.7K

$1.63 ฿54.4

-31.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.6K

$1.50 ฿50.0

-18.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ₫20.0K

$1.29 ฿43.13

-40.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₫17.6K

$1.11 ฿37.03

-38.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 ₫20.5K

$0.72 ฿24.08

9.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₫10.7K

$0.53 ฿17.59

-22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ₫39.1K

$4.31 ฿144

-64.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 ₫298.4K

$17.95 ฿600

-35.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₫16.1K

$1.58 ฿52.9

-60.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 ₫46.1K

$2.84 ฿95.0

-37.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ₫7,958

$0.86 ฿28.86

-63.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.84 ₫177.1K

$53.3 ฿1,780

-87.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$1.21 ฿40.29

-53.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₫15.3K

$0.57 ฿18.99

3.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 ₫72.6K

$2.35 ฿78.6

19.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 ₫22.2K

$1.44 ฿47.96

-40.28%

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

$31.1K ₫805.6M

$20.7K ฿692.8K

50.11%

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

$27.7K ₫717.3M

$26.8K ฿895.7K

3.38%

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

$78.3 ₫2.0M

$62.3 ฿2,083

25.61%

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

$6.66 ₫172.4K

$12.11 ฿405

-45.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.39 ₫243.1K

$19.94 ฿666

-52.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.25 ₫602.0K

$37.07 ฿1,239

-37.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.95 ₫180.0K

$3.78 ฿126

83.86%

Cinema Ticket

$1.90 ₫49.2K

$6.50 ฿217

-70.77%

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

$216 ₫5.6M

$793 ฿26.5K

-72.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,892 ₫100.8M

$14.8K ฿494.9K

-73.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.36 ₫1.1M

$53.7 ฿1,796

-23.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.76 ₫615.0K

$24.62 ฿823

-3.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.42 ₫1.3M

$90.9 ฿3,036

-46.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 ₫2.2M

$71.1 ฿2,378

17.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 ₫10.0M

$455 ฿15.2K

-15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 ₫7.1M

$298 ฿9,954

-7.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 ₫22.4M

$908 ฿30.4K

-4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₫17.9M

$554 ฿18.5K

24.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,143 ₫55.5M

$1,931 ฿64.5K

10.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ₫31.9M

$1,445 ฿48.3K

-14.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.28

5.57

48.65%

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

Last update for Cam Ranh: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cam Ranh

$275 37.2%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 8.1% $22

Groceries & Markets

Cam Ranh

$180 24.4%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 30.7% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cam Ranh

$94 12.8%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 0% $0

Clothing & Footwear

Cam Ranh

$89 12%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 21.7% $19

Eating Out

Cam Ranh

$62 8.4%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 25.9% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Cam Ranh

$27 3.7%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 85.1% $23

Getting Around

Cam Ranh

$12 1.6%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 424% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Cam Ranh and $455 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cam Ranh vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $235, with Cam Ranh cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Cam Ranh

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

17:51 5:51 PM

Same time as Cam Ranh

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

220,630

127,240

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cam Ranh Chiang Mai 1,330 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Cam Ranh
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 25% 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 $1,110 in Cam Ranh and $1,388 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: $387 in Cam Ranh versus $455 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $740 per month in Cam Ranh versus $925 in Chiang Mai – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cam Ranh runs roughly 679% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $740 in Cam Ranh versus $925 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 $740 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 25% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.