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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $883 in Chanthaburi versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chanthaburi versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,938 in Chanthaburi versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Chanthaburi is roughly 4% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chanthaburi 34% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.21 ฿39.65

$1.96 ฿64.0

-38.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.25 ฿1,022

$18.81 ฿615

66.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ฿206

$7.92 ฿259

-20.45%

Cappuccino

$1.50 ฿49.14

$1.91 ฿62.6

-21.47%

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

$0.57 ฿18.57

$0.84 ฿27.41

-32.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.60

$0.35 ฿11.51

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 ฿58.0

$2.21 ฿72.1

-19.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 ฿130

$3.80 ฿124

4.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ฿51.7

$1.64 ฿53.5

-3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.62 ฿53.1

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ฿30.47

$1.18 ฿38.62

-21.19%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿70.4

$2.01 ฿65.8

6.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.28 ฿598

$15.89 ฿520

15.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.3

$3.01 ฿98.5

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 ฿302

$10.77 ฿352

-14.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 ฿112

$2.61 ฿85.5

31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.22 ฿39.88

46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.70 ฿55.7

30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿60.8

$1.58 ฿51.5

17.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.93

$1.32 ฿43.14

-7.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.35

$1.17 ฿38.23

23.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.43

$0.67 ฿21.98

52.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.10

$0.56 ฿18.32

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿142

$4.53 ฿148

-4.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.96 ฿555

$18.20 ฿595

-6.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿56.8

$1.83 ฿60.0

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿109

$3.23 ฿106

3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.36

$0.89 ฿29.00

1.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.04 ฿1,015

$19.38 ฿634

60.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿36.32

$1.35 ฿44.20

-17.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.40

$1.35 ฿44.05

-26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 ฿204

$8.25 ฿270

-24.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.27

$1.27 ฿41.64

-3.15%

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

$37.7K ฿1.2M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

78.12%

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

$24.1K ฿789.7K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

7.40%

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

$87.8 ฿2,872

$70.2 ฿2,294

25.20%

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

$3.79 ฿124

$13.77 ฿450

-72.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.69 ฿350

$17.60 ฿575

-39.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.71 ฿1,626

$41.57 ฿1,360

19.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.04 ฿394

$6.60 ฿216

82.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 ฿179

$5.78 ฿189

-5.19%

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

$598 ฿19.6K

$306 ฿10.0K

95.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K ฿426.7K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-11.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.62 ฿249

$54.4 ฿1,778

-85.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ฿1,213

$26.14 ฿855

41.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 ฿2,282

$84.5 ฿2,764

-17.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.98 ฿719

$69.4 ฿2,270

-68.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 ฿13.8K

$424 ฿13.9K

-0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 ฿9,273

$238 ฿7,788

19.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 ฿26.6K

$825 ฿27.0K

-1.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 ฿21.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

28.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,137 ฿69.9K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

4.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,529 ฿50.0K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

0.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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 Chanthaburi: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Chanthaburi and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Chanthaburi vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 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

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

Chanthaburi and Chiang Mai differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($883 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,324 in Chanthaburi and $1,278 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $422 in Chanthaburi versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 60% less than in Chanthaburi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $598 in Chanthaburi versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chanthaburi 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 4% less than in Chanthaburi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.