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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,173 in Cayey versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,402 in Cayey versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,630 in Cayey versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cayey is roughly 133% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cayey is 59% above, Chiang Mai is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 $18.76

$2.08 ฿69.3

801.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.4 $84.4

$19.61 ฿653

330.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 $9.46

$5.67 ฿189

66.84%

Cappuccino

$3.59 $3.59

$1.81 ฿60.1

98.34%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$0.77 ฿25.58

129.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.35 ฿11.49

308.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.21 ฿73.7

33.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.79 ฿126

34.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.05 ฿68.2

8.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.51 ฿50.4

138.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.40 ฿46.57

68.57%

Eggs

$7.52 $7.52

$2.26 ฿75.2

232.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$16.19 ฿539

-24.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 $9.82

$2.90 ฿96.4

238.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 $13.56

$9.42 ฿314

43.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$2.68 ฿89.2

94.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.09 ฿36.28

142.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$1.62 ฿53.8

203.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$1.46 ฿48.61

231.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.28 ฿42.54

203.12%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.06 ฿35.21

281.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.48 $3.48

$0.72 ฿23.88

383.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.53 ฿17.51

209.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.22 $12.22

$4.23 ฿141

188.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.91 $15.91

$18.29 ฿609

-13.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.63 ฿54.3

81.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.90 ฿96.6

37.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.17 ฿39.04

117.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.58 ฿19.25

163.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.40 $42.40

$2.39 ฿79.4

1674.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.45 ฿48.28

-29.66%

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

$40.6K $40.6K

$21.0K ฿699.5K

93.16%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$26.4K ฿879.7K

5.33%

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

$316 $316

$63.7 ฿2,119

396.14%

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

$68.6 $68.6

$12.89 ฿429

432.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$20.52 ฿683

244.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.49 $39.49

$39.02 ฿1,299

1.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$9.87 $9.87

$6.58 ฿219

50.00%

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

$824 $824

$784 ฿26.1K

5.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-16.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 $57.1

$55.1 ฿1,835

3.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 $61.4

$24.74 ฿824

148.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$94.1 ฿3,133

16.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$74.0 ฿2,462

51.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 $1,214

$490 ฿16.3K

147.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 $793

$288 ฿9,594

175.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,408 $2,408

$891 ฿29.7K

170.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 $1,824

$521 ฿17.3K

249.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,728 $3,728

$602 ฿20.0K

519.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.57

17.59%

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

Last update for Cayey: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,214 in Cayey and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayey pays 520% 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: $84.0 in Cayey vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 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

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

Cayey and Chiang Mai differ by about 133% in total monthly costs ($2,173 vs $932 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 520% higher in Cayey, 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: $1,214 in Cayey versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $824 in Cayey versus $784 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $84.0 in Cayey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $2,173 in Cayey, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cayey. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cayey 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 133% less than in Cayey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.