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: $2,268 in Cayey versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,508 in Cayey versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,749 in Cayey versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cayey is roughly 161% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cayey is 69% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.66 $18.66

$1.98 ฿64.3

842.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$18.80 ฿612

327.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 $9.40

$7.75 ฿252

21.29%

Cappuccino

$3.52 $3.52

$1.92 ฿62.5

83.33%

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

$1.71 $1.71

$0.79 ฿25.79

116.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.36 ฿11.62

302.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.21 ฿72.1

37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.66 ฿119

21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.65 ฿53.8

52.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.63 ฿53.2

109.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.19 ฿38.86

88.24%

Eggs

$5.92 $5.92

$2.00 ฿65.1

196.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$15.98 ฿520

-43.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 $8.35

$3.03 ฿98.5

175.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 $12.59

$10.86 ฿354

15.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.76 ฿90.0

110.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.18 ฿38.42

133.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.64 ฿53.5

143.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$1.52 ฿49.51

173.68%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.38 ฿45.10

191.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.19 ฿38.84

145.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 $3.04

$0.70 ฿22.86

334.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.56 ฿18.13

242.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.95 $11.95

$4.58 ฿149

160.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.51 $15.51

$16.56 ฿539

-6.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.83 ฿59.5

35.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.20 ฿104

1.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.34 ฿43.65

13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.10 $15.10

$7.84 ฿256

92.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.23 ฿39.92

-19.51%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

68.06%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

17.19%

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

$482 $482

$70.5 ฿2,298

583.51%

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

$80.1 $80.1

$13.68 ฿445

485.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$17.45 ฿568

319.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 $11.80

$5.77 ฿188

104.51%

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

$466 $466

$307 ฿10.0K

51.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-27.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.63 $46.63

$55.8 ฿1,817

-16.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 $56.3

$26.21 ฿854

114.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$85.8 ฿2,793

4.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$72.2 ฿2,353

46.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 $1,195

$430 ฿14.0K

178.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 $794

$239 ฿7,774

232.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,768 $1,768

$817 ฿26.6K

116.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 $1,818

$511 ฿16.6K

255.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,700 $3,700

$619 ฿20.2K

497.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

14.20%

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

Last update for Cayey: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,195 in Cayey and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayey pays 498% 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: $80.0 in Cayey vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 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 161% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $869 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Cayey pays 498% 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: $1,195 in Cayey versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $466 in Cayey versus $307 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 $19.00 versus $80.0 in Cayey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $2,268 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 161% less than in Cayey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.