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: $2,244 in Cayey versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,438 in Cayey versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,633 in Cayey versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cayey is roughly 163% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cayey is 69% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.96 $18.96

$2.04 ฿68.2

829.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 $80.1

$18.71 ฿624

327.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 $9.37

$7.86 ฿262

19.21%

Cappuccino

$3.65 $3.65

$2.03 ฿67.7

79.80%

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

$1.69 $1.69

$0.80 ฿26.64

111.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.35 ฿11.68

308.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.14 ฿71.5

43.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.67 ฿122

23.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.73 ฿57.6

42.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.57 ฿52.4

125.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.20 ฿39.99

88.33%

Eggs

$6.03 $6.03

$1.97 ฿65.8

206.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.79 $8.79

$16.23 ฿541

-45.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$3.06 ฿102

175.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.83 $12.83

$10.80 ฿360

18.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$2.77 ฿92.3

107.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.17 ฿38.94

130.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.71 ฿57.0

129.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.59 ฿53.2

152.20%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.39 ฿46.51

191.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.16 ฿38.56

155.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 $3.11

$0.66 ฿22.05

371.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.52 ฿17.31

286.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.98 $11.98

$4.65 ฿155

157.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.84 $15.84

$17.78 ฿593

-10.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.79 ฿59.6

40.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.34 ฿111

-4.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.34 ฿44.70

11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.21 $15.21

$8.11 ฿270

87.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.23 ฿41.16

-24.39%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

69.59%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

22.13%

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

$487 $487

$71.3 ฿2,379

582.29%

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

$77.6 $77.6

$14.01 ฿467

453.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$17.93 ฿598

303.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 $11.90

$5.72 ฿191

108.04%

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

$473 $473

$308 ฿10.3K

53.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-28.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.99 $45.99

$55.8 ฿1,860

-17.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 $56.5

$26.04 ฿869

116.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$84.8 ฿2,829

8.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$71.0 ฿2,368

46.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 $1,221

$423 ฿14.1K

188.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 $814

$242 ฿8,088

235.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,764 $1,764

$797 ฿26.6K

121.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 $1,804

$507 ฿16.9K

255.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 $3,659

$595 ฿19.9K

514.90%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,221 in Cayey and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayey pays 515% 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 $386 vs $244 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 163% in total monthly costs ($2,244 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 515% 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: $1,221 in Cayey versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $473 in Cayey versus $308 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 $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,244 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 163% less than in Cayey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.