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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,200 in Cambridge versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,031 in Cambridge versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,862 in Cambridge versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 158% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge is 64% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 NZ$22.61

$1.96 ฿63.6

578.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.68 NZ$60.7

$18.81 ฿611

89.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 NZ$15.22

$7.92 ฿258

13.01%

Cappuccino

$3.06 NZ$5.20

$1.91 ฿62.2

60.21%

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

$2.41 NZ$4.10

$0.84 ฿27.25

186.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NZ$3.66

$0.35 ฿11.44

517.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 NZ$8.22

$2.21 ฿71.7

119.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 NZ$10.73

$3.80 ฿124

66.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.77

$1.64 ฿53.2

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 NZ$2.76

$1.62 ฿52.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.14

$1.18 ฿38.40

56.78%

Eggs

$6.21 NZ$10.55

$2.01 ฿65.4

208.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 NZ$14.09

$15.89 ฿517

-47.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 NZ$16.05

$3.01 ฿98.0

213.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 NZ$21.13

$10.77 ฿350

15.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 NZ$4.22

$2.61 ฿85.0

-4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$1.22 ฿39.65

48.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.12

$1.70 ฿55.4

42.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 NZ$5.23

$1.58 ฿51.2

94.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.56

$1.32 ฿42.89

58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.05

$1.17 ฿38.01

53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 NZ$3.58

$0.67 ฿21.85

214.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 NZ$2.14

$0.56 ฿18.21

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.34 NZ$34.58

$4.53 ฿147

349.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 NZ$17.70

$18.20 ฿592

-42.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 NZ$4.15

$1.83 ฿59.6

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 NZ$4.60

$3.23 ฿105

-16.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 NZ$5.16

$0.89 ฿28.83

240.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 NZ$108

$19.38 ฿630

228.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 NZ$4.48

$1.35 ฿43.95

94.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.31

$1.35 ฿43.79

43.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.17 NZ$59.8

$8.25 ฿268

326.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.93

$1.27 ฿41.40

35.43%

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

$26.7K NZ$45.5K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

26.41%

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

$22.9K NZ$38.9K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

1.85%

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

$107 NZ$182

$70.2 ฿2,281

52.20%

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

$36.98 NZ$62.9

$13.77 ฿448

168.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 NZ$67.1

$17.60 ฿572

124.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 NZ$63.0

$41.57 ฿1,352

-10.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 NZ$20.57

$6.60 ฿215

83.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 NZ$15.43

$5.78 ฿188

57.09%

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

$742 NZ$1,261

$306 ฿9,953

142.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.4K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-19.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 NZ$168

$54.4 ฿1,768

81.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 NZ$98.9

$26.14 ฿850

122.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NZ$180

$84.5 ฿2,748

25.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NZ$220

$69.4 ฿2,257

86.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 NZ$1,641

$424 ฿13.8K

127.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 NZ$2,062

$238 ฿7,743

409.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 NZ$3,552

$825 ฿26.8K

153.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,666

$515 ฿16.7K

204.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,762 NZ$8,095

$2,049 ฿66.6K

132.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,478 NZ$5,912

$1,523 ฿49.5K

128.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,642 NZ$4,491

$635 ฿20.6K

315.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.00%

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

Last update for Cambridge: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $965 in Cambridge and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 316% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Cambridge vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cambridge pays 316% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $965 in Cambridge versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,200 per month in Cambridge versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 228% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,200 in Cambridge, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cambridge 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.