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 $894 per month in Chang-hua vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,355 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,815 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Chang-hua is about 6% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chang-hua and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Chang-hua 35% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 NT$129

$2.08 ฿69.2

95.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.91 NT$1,044

$19.64 ฿651

67.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.10 NT$194

$5.65 ฿188

7.96%

Cappuccino

$1.65 NT$52.3

$1.81 ฿59.9

-8.84%

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

$0.94 NT$29.79

$0.71 ฿23.66

32.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 NT$19.29

$0.32 ฿10.48

90.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 NT$44.52

$2.24 ฿74.2

-37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NT$72.1

$3.63 ฿121

-37.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 NT$74.6

$1.96 ฿65.0

19.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 NT$64.5

$1.50 ฿49.83

35.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NT$91.3

$1.34 ฿44.32

114.93%

Eggs

$2.72 NT$86.2

$2.26 ฿75.1

20.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.36 NT$519

$16.26 ฿539

0.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 NT$320

$2.95 ฿98.0

241.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.88 NT$694

$9.94 ฿330

120.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 NT$160

$2.57 ฿85.3

96.50%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 NT$105

$1.06 ฿35.04

213.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.9

$1.61 ฿53.5

87.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 NT$99.5

$1.52 ฿50.4

106.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 NT$85.4

$1.27 ฿42.14

111.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.0

$1.07 ฿35.37

106.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 NT$55.5

$0.72 ฿23.89

143.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$25.56

$0.51 ฿16.87

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 NT$128

$4.19 ฿139

-3.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NT$297

$17.87 ฿593

-47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NT$46.33

$1.69 ฿56.2

-13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 NT$70.5

$2.84 ฿94.1

-21.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 NT$49.04

$0.93 ฿30.70

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.54 NT$1,096

$53.9 ฿1,787

-35.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$85.6

$1.23 ฿40.95

119.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.82

$0.58 ฿19.13

29.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.73 NT$309

$2.42 ฿80.4

302.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.37

$1.41 ฿46.84

-27.66%

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

$33.5K NT$1.1M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

56.38%

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

$24.4K NT$774.1K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-10.73%

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

$31.05 NT$985

$63.7 ฿2,112

-51.23%

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

$18.25 NT$579

$12.85 ฿426

42.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 NT$598

$20.22 ฿671

-6.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.87 NT$1,011

$38.74 ฿1,285

-17.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 NT$293

$6.74 ฿223

37.24%

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

$630 NT$20.0K

$778 ฿25.8K

-18.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,739 NT$245.5K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-47.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 NT$1,590

$54.3 ฿1,801

-7.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.20 NT$482

$25.45 ฿844

-40.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 NT$2,546

$94.3 ฿3,129

-14.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.0 NT$1,617

$73.4 ฿2,436

-30.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 NT$8,159

$490 ฿16.2K

-47.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 NT$5,421

$289 ฿9,596

-40.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 NT$15.8K

$894 ฿29.6K

-44.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 NT$5,486

$517 ฿17.1K

-66.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,061 NT$97.1K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

56.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,650 NT$52.3K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

11.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,024 NT$64.2K

$602 ฿20.0K

236.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.2

5.57

-60.50%

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

Last update for Chang-hua: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Chang-hua versus $490 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 236% higher in Chang-hua, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Chang-hua versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $240 – 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

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Chang-hua, 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 $1,342 per month in Chang-hua and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chang-hua, 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 $894 in Chang-hua and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $894, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chang-hua costs $894 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. 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 Chang-hua. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.