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: $1,843 in Cambridge versus $920 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Cambridge versus $1,408 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,852 in Cambridge versus $1,895 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 100% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge is 34% above, Chiang Mai is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.70 NZ$24.68

$2.11 ฿69.1

596.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.74 NZ$58.3

$19.75 ฿648

75.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.92 NZ$14.99

$5.85 ฿192

52.48%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NZ$4.88

$1.76 ฿57.8

65.34%

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

$2.06 NZ$3.46

$0.74 ฿24.37

178.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NZ$3.33

$0.33 ฿10.90

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 NZ$7.88

$2.47 ฿81.0

89.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 NZ$11.99

$3.88 ฿127

84.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.77

$1.90 ฿62.4

-13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 NZ$3.72

$1.67 ฿54.7

32.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.15

$1.35 ฿44.24

39.26%

Eggs

$6.28 NZ$10.55

$2.14 ฿70.2

193.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 NZ$14.50

$15.89 ฿521

-45.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.99 NZ$16.77

$2.83 ฿92.9

253.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 NZ$22.94

$10.53 ฿345

29.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 NZ$4.39

$2.38 ฿78.2

9.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.64

$1.07 ฿35.01

102.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.07

$1.52 ฿49.79

59.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 NZ$5.04

$1.50 ฿49.30

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.69

$1.28 ฿41.96

71.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.91

$1.10 ฿36.17

57.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.50

$0.69 ฿22.54

201.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$1.99

$0.49 ฿16.18

140.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.59 NZ$48.01

$4.27 ฿140

569.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 NZ$17.47

$16.78 ฿550

-37.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 NZ$4.52

$1.66 ฿54.4

62.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 NZ$5.65

$2.81 ฿92.3

19.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 NZ$2.92

$0.90 ฿29.44

93.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.8 NZ$132

$54.9 ฿1,801

43.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 NZ$3.91

$1.20 ฿39.24

94.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 NZ$3.44

$0.54 ฿17.78

279.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.21 NZ$55.8

$2.37 ฿77.9

1301.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.74

$1.43 ฿46.88

13.99%

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

$26.6K NZ$44.6K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

26.00%

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

$24.0K NZ$40.3K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

-11.54%

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

$107 NZ$179

$64.7 ฿2,124

64.77%

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

$28.20 NZ$47.35

$13.19 ฿433

113.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.37 NZ$64.4

$19.44 ฿638

97.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 NZ$73.2

$39.45 ฿1,294

10.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 NZ$22.86

$6.62 ฿217

105.59%

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

$1,204 NZ$2,023

$805 ฿26.4K

49.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K NZ$36.0K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

41.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 NZ$133

$54.8 ฿1,796

44.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 NZ$74.2

$25.43 ฿834

73.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 NZ$153

$91.9 ฿3,015

-0.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 NZ$195

$74.7 ฿2,449

55.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 NZ$1,598

$467 ฿15.3K

103.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 NZ$1,420

$282 ฿9,251

199.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 NZ$2,632

$891 ฿29.2K

75.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,553 NZ$2,608

$521 ฿17.1K

197.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,919 NZ$8,260

$1,985 ฿65.1K

147.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,470 NZ$5,827

$1,462 ฿48.0K

137.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,730 NZ$4,584

$592 ฿19.4K

361.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.57

-4.31%

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

Last update for Cambridge: August 16, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Cambridge and $467 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 361% 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: $35.00 in Cambridge vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $313 vs $237 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 361% higher in Cambridge, 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: $952 in Cambridge versus $467 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,843 per month in Cambridge versus $920 in Chiang Mai – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 43% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $920 in Chiang Mai versus $1,843 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 100% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.