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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,420 in Cesis versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,164 in Cesis versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,908 in Cesis versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cesis is roughly 64% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cesis is 6% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.15

$1.94 ฿63.5

807.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €60.8

$18.64 ฿609

279.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 €8.14

$7.82 ฿255

20.97%

Cappuccino

$3.55 €3.06

$1.95 ฿63.8

82.05%

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

$1.85 €1.59

$0.85 ฿27.77

117.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.35 ฿11.58

268.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.70 €4.90

$2.13 ฿69.6

167.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 €4.94

$3.73 ฿122

53.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.71 ฿56.0

-22.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.63 ฿53.2

-10.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.48

$1.14 ฿37.15

152.63%

Eggs

$2.71 €2.33

$1.93 ฿63.1

40.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 €10.52

$16.21 ฿530

-24.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 €6.81

$3.12 ฿102

153.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.04 €10.36

$10.90 ฿356

10.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.75 ฿90.0

-39.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 €0.76

$1.21 ฿39.52

-27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 €2.29

$1.62 ฿53.0

64.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.59 ฿51.8

40.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 €0.82

$1.40 ฿45.70

-32.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.17 ฿38.17

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.66 ฿21.60

160.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.53 ฿17.22

58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 €3.63

$4.69 ฿153

-10.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 €6.37

$18.66 ฿609

-60.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.80 ฿58.8

-36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$3.23 ฿106

-65.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 €0.82

$0.90 ฿29.26

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.71 €31.58

$19.21 ฿628

91.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 €2.51

$1.41 ฿45.91

107.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 €0.75

$1.29 ฿42.12

-32.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.79 €11.86

$7.84 ฿256

75.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.27 ฿41.58

40.94%

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

$30.5K €26.2K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

43.34%

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

$31.4K €27.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

41.39%

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

$321 €276

$69.1 ฿2,256

364.33%

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

$20.37 €17.52

$14.08 ฿460

44.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.34 €9.75

$18.00 ฿588

-37.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 €44.09

$41.06 ฿1,341

24.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.67 €10.04

$5.92 ฿193

97.13%

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

$555 €477

$299 ฿9,766

85.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K €13.5K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

5.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 €76.3

$54.7 ฿1,787

62.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.18 €39.72

$26.77 ฿874

72.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 €83.7

$85.0 ฿2,776

14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €117

$70.6 ฿2,306

92.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 €314

$428 ฿14.0K

-14.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 €220

$237 ฿7,752

7.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 €644

$801 ฿26.2K

-6.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 €396

$515 ฿16.8K

-10.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,675

$617 ฿20.2K

215.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

-52.00%

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

Last update for Cesis: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Cesis and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cesis pays 215% 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: $71.0 in Cesis vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $246, with Cesis cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cesis pays 215% 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: $365 in Cesis versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,420 per month in Cesis versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 91% less than in Cesis. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,420 in Cesis, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cesis. 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 Cesis, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cesis 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 64% less than in Cesis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.