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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $872 in Chaiyaphum versus $848 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,451 in Chaiyaphum versus $1,331 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,031 in Chaiyaphum versus $1,814 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Chaiyaphum is roughly 3% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chaiyaphum 35% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.21 ฿39.21

$1.96 ฿63.6

-38.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.68 ฿997

$18.39 ฿598

66.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 ฿197

$7.87 ฿256

-23.00%

Cappuccino

$1.26 ฿41.09

$1.95 ฿63.4

-35.38%

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

$0.47 ฿15.41

$0.85 ฿27.57

-44.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.53

$0.32 ฿10.52

-9.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.14 ฿69.6

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ฿131

$3.68 ฿120

9.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿58.5

$1.66 ฿53.9

8.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ฿43.25

$1.56 ฿50.7

-14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.07

$1.19 ฿38.63

24.37%

Eggs

$1.57 ฿50.9

$1.99 ฿64.7

-21.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.20 ฿591

$16.24 ฿528

12.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 ฿96.3

$3.17 ฿103

-6.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.51 ฿309

$10.84 ฿352

-12.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 ฿116

$2.65 ฿86.2

34.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 ฿19.68

$1.22 ฿39.67

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.4

$1.65 ฿53.7

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿60.5

$1.55 ฿50.3

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ฿54.2

$1.33 ฿43.17

25.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.25

$1.21 ฿39.43

22.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ฿31.66

$0.68 ฿22.04

42.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿9.72

$0.57 ฿18.38

-47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿146

$4.68 ฿152

-4.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.44 ฿502

$16.99 ฿552

-9.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿60.6

$1.82 ฿59.3

2.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ฿110

$3.18 ฿103

6.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.27

$0.91 ฿29.46

2.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ฿35.56

$1.41 ฿45.80

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 ฿37.65

$1.34 ฿43.52

-13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 ฿196

$8.14 ฿265

-25.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ฿34.89

$1.28 ฿41.53

-16.41%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$21.8K ฿709.3K

70.91%

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

$28.8K ฿937.1K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

28.72%

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

$45.55 ฿1,480

$70.5 ฿2,291

-35.37%

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

$11.49 ฿374

$14.05 ฿457

-18.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.27 ฿399

$17.65 ฿574

-30.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 ฿1,633

$41.29 ฿1,342

21.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 ฿393

$6.76 ฿220

78.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 ฿244

$5.96 ฿194

25.67%

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

$609 ฿19.8K

$303 ฿9,846

101.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K ฿424.1K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-12.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ฿1,892

$54.7 ฿1,778

6.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.92 ฿1,265

$26.29 ฿854

48.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ฿3,406

$85.8 ฿2,788

22.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ฿3,011

$69.7 ฿2,265

32.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.9K

$428 ฿13.9K

-0.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ฿9,124

$239 ฿7,769

17.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 ฿26.2K

$811 ฿26.4K

-0.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 ฿21.1K

$510 ฿16.6K

27.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,968 ฿64.0K

$2,025 ฿65.8K

-2.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿47.9K

$1,502 ฿48.8K

-1.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$458 ฿14.9K

$623 ฿20.2K

-26.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

16.80%

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

Last update for Chaiyaphum: June 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $427 in Chaiyaphum and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Chaiyaphum vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $242 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 36% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $427 in Chaiyaphum versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $609 in Chaiyaphum versus $303 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 $18.00 versus $31.00 in Chaiyaphum. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chaiyaphum, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chaiyaphum 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 3% less than in Chaiyaphum. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.