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: $1,391 in Cesis versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Cesis versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,861 in Cesis versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cesis is roughly 62% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cesis is 4% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.14 €14.98

$1.96 ฿65.7

774.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 €60.2

$18.35 ฿616

275.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 €8.19

$7.48 ฿251

25.27%

Cappuccino

$3.62 €3.17

$2.02 ฿67.7

79.21%

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

$1.86 €1.62

$0.85 ฿28.45

118.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.18

$0.36 ฿11.94

275.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 €5.07

$2.14 ฿71.7

171.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 €5.12

$3.59 ฿121

62.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.65 ฿55.4

-15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.57 ฿52.6

-2.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 €2.41

$1.19 ฿39.95

131.93%

Eggs

$2.79 €2.44

$1.94 ฿65.0

43.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 €10.48

$16.19 ฿544

-25.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €7.00

$2.99 ฿100

167.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 €10.50

$10.94 ฿367

9.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 €1.46

$2.71 ฿91.0

-38.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 €0.81

$1.17 ฿39.18

-21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 €2.23

$1.69 ฿56.6

51.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 €1.98

$1.60 ฿53.9

41.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 €0.83

$1.38 ฿46.45

-31.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 €0.89

$1.20 ฿40.38

-15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 €1.55

$0.67 ฿22.46

164.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.74

$0.56 ฿18.70

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 €3.70

$4.64 ฿156

-8.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.60

$17.62 ฿591

-57.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.98

$1.86 ฿62.4

-39.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.03

$3.30 ฿111

-64.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 €0.84

$0.88 ฿29.63

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.35 €31.76

$19.34 ฿649

87.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 €2.57

$1.36 ฿45.82

116.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.34 ฿44.90

-36.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 €11.91

$8.21 ฿276

66.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.57

$1.22 ฿41.11

47.54%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

42.74%

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

$31.4K €27.5K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

39.45%

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

$322 €281

$70.7 ฿2,372

355.61%

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

$19.91 €17.39

$14.04 ฿471

41.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 €10.08

$17.49 ฿587

-34.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 €44.24

$42.15 ฿1,415

20.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 €10.02

$5.92 ฿199

93.75%

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

$547 €478

$309 ฿10.4K

77.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K €13.7K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

5.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.0 €78.7

$55.8 ฿1,872

61.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.95 €40.15

$26.11 ฿877

75.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 €82.9

$83.0 ฿2,787

14.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €118

$70.5 ฿2,365

92.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 €317

$432 ฿14.5K

-15.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 €226

$239 ฿8,020

8.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 €644

$822 ฿27.6K

-10.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 €396

$512 ฿17.2K

-11.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,863 €1,628

$579 ฿19.4K

221.52%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $363 in Cesis and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cesis pays 222% 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: $69.0 in Cesis vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $243 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 222% higher in Cesis, 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: $363 in Cesis versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,391 per month in Cesis versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 88% less than in Cesis. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,391 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 62% less than in Cesis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.