Cost of Living Comparison Between Chang-hua and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Chang-hua and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $904 per month in Chang-hua vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,361 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,819 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Chang-hua costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chang-hua and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Chang-hua 33% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 NT$118

$1.94 ฿63.5

93.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.15 NT$855

$18.64 ฿609

45.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 NT$178

$7.82 ฿255

-27.88%

Cappuccino

$1.84 NT$57.8

$1.95 ฿63.8

-5.64%

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

$0.88 NT$27.63

$0.85 ฿27.77

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 NT$14.54

$0.35 ฿11.58

31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 NT$45.62

$2.13 ฿69.6

-31.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NT$62.3

$3.73 ฿122

-46.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 NT$86.9

$1.71 ฿56.0

61.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$60.1

$1.63 ฿53.2

17.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 NT$99.9

$1.14 ฿37.15

178.07%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.7

$1.93 ฿63.1

50.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.14 NT$540

$16.21 ฿530

5.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 NT$246

$3.12 ฿102

150.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 NT$634

$10.90 ฿356

84.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 NT$164

$2.75 ฿90.0

89.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.1

$1.21 ฿39.52

138.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 NT$86.7

$1.62 ฿53.0

69.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 NT$102

$1.59 ฿51.8

103.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 NT$86.5

$1.40 ฿45.70

96.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.0

$1.17 ฿38.17

87.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 NT$59.0

$0.66 ฿21.60

183.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$25.47

$0.53 ฿17.22

52.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 NT$124

$4.69 ฿153

-15.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 NT$302

$18.66 ฿609

-48.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 NT$49.26

$1.80 ฿58.8

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$75.8

$3.23 ฿106

-25.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 NT$54.0

$0.90 ฿29.26

91.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 NT$1,175

$19.21 ฿628

94.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 NT$93.0

$1.41 ฿45.91

109.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.68

$1.29 ฿42.12

-39.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 NT$324

$7.84 ฿256

31.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.18

$1.27 ฿41.58

-19.69%

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

$38.6K NT$1.2M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

81.27%

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

$27.5K NT$864.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

23.58%

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

$34.13 NT$1,074

$69.1 ฿2,256

-50.59%

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

$18.70 NT$589

$14.08 ฿460

32.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.26 NT$638

$18.00 ฿588

12.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.09 NT$821

$41.06 ฿1,341

-36.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.35 NT$483

$6.96 ฿227

120.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 NT$317

$5.92 ฿193

70.10%

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

$643 NT$20.2K

$299 ฿9,766

115.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,353 NT$262.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-44.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 NT$1,692

$54.7 ฿1,787

-1.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.87 NT$531

$26.77 ฿874

-36.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 NT$2,647

$85.0 ฿2,776

-1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 NT$1,692

$70.6 ฿2,306

-23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 NT$9,829

$428 ฿14.0K

-27.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 NT$5,974

$237 ฿7,752

-20.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 NT$17.2K

$801 ฿26.2K

-31.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 NT$5,953

$515 ฿16.8K

-63.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,014 NT$94.9K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

52.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,682 NT$52.9K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

14.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,015 NT$63.4K

$617 ฿20.2K

226.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

-56.20%

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

Last update for Chang-hua: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $312 in Chang-hua versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 226% higher in Chang-hua, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Chang-hua versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chang-hua vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chang-hua costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,355 per month in Chang-hua and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $904 in Chang-hua and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 94% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $904 in Chang-hua and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $904 in Chang-hua. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chang-hua makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.