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: $2,243 in Cambridge versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,021 in Cambridge versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,799 in Cambridge versus $1,855 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 67% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.38 NZ$22.84

$1.98 ฿64.3

575.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.53 NZ$62.4

$18.80 ฿612

94.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 NZ$15.48

$7.75 ฿252

17.03%

Cappuccino

$2.97 NZ$5.07

$1.92 ฿62.5

54.69%

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

$2.42 NZ$4.13

$0.79 ฿25.79

206.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 NZ$3.71

$0.36 ฿11.62

502.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.72 NZ$8.05

$2.21 ฿72.1

113.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.38 NZ$10.89

$3.66 ฿119

74.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.89

$1.65 ฿53.8

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 NZ$2.77

$1.63 ฿53.2

-0.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.12

$1.19 ฿38.86

53.78%

Eggs

$6.05 NZ$10.33

$2.00 ฿65.1

202.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 NZ$13.79

$15.98 ฿520

-49.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.37

$3.03 ฿98.5

197.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 NZ$21.20

$10.86 ฿354

14.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 NZ$4.17

$2.76 ฿90.0

-11.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.18 ฿38.42

61.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$4.05

$1.64 ฿53.5

44.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 NZ$5.05

$1.52 ฿49.51

94.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NZ$3.67

$1.38 ฿45.10

55.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$1.19 ฿38.84

54.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$0.70 ฿22.86

201.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 NZ$2.15

$0.56 ฿18.13

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.57 NZ$35.13

$4.58 ฿149

349.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.71 NZ$16.58

$16.56 ฿539

-41.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NZ$4.19

$1.83 ฿59.5

33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 NZ$4.57

$3.20 ฿104

-16.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 NZ$5.05

$0.88 ฿28.56

236.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 NZ$111

$18.72 ฿610

246.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 NZ$4.49

$1.36 ฿44.16

93.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 NZ$3.41

$1.34 ฿43.65

49.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.24 NZ$60.2

$7.84 ฿256

349.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.85

$1.23 ฿39.92

35.77%

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

$26.8K NZ$45.8K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

24.06%

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

$22.8K NZ$39.0K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

1.22%

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

$109 NZ$187

$70.5 ฿2,298

54.91%

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

$36.87 NZ$63.0

$13.68 ฿445

169.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.85 NZ$68.1

$17.45 ฿568

128.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 NZ$62.5

$41.33 ฿1,346

-11.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.17 NZ$20.78

$6.96 ฿227

74.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.96 NZ$15.31

$5.77 ฿188

55.29%

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

$739 NZ$1,262

$307 ฿10.0K

140.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-16.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.4 NZ$168

$55.8 ฿1,817

76.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 NZ$97.1

$26.21 ฿854

117.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$177

$85.8 ฿2,793

20.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 NZ$219

$72.2 ฿2,353

77.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$974 NZ$1,663

$430 ฿14.0K

126.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 NZ$2,050

$239 ฿7,774

402.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 NZ$3,572

$817 ฿26.6K

155.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 NZ$2,717

$511 ฿16.6K

211.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,477 NZ$7,644

$1,983 ฿64.6K

125.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,392 NZ$5,792

$1,484 ฿48.3K

128.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,629 NZ$4,489

$619 ฿20.2K

324.82%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $974 in Cambridge and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 325% 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: $37.00 in Cambridge vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $241 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 325% 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: $974 in Cambridge versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Cambridge versus $869 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 247% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $2,243 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.