Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and 'amran Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and 'amran

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $540 in 'amran, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $897 in 'amran, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,254 in 'amran, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than 'amran, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and 'amran are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, 'amran 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$12.30 YER 2,912

-84.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$24.64 YER 5,832

-25.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.39 YER 92.4

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.01 YER 238

55.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$2.04 YER 482

-41.67%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.67 YER 632

-27.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$16.39 YER 3,879

-33.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$4.18 YER 990

-35.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$4.02 YER 952

-57.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$4.17 YER 986

-61.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.03 YER 480

-32.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.09 YER 495

-42.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.40 YER 94.2

40.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.42 YER 810

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.99 YER 707

55.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

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

$14.04 ฿472

$30.48 YER 7,214

-53.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$48.34 YER 11.4K

-63.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$57.8 YER 13.7K

-27.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$605 YER 143.2K

2359.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$80.9 YER 19.2K

-31.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$57.2 YER 13.5K

-54.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$124 YER 29.3K

-32.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$48.77 YER 11.5K

44.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for 'amran: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in 'amran. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $151 in 'amran – so 'amran wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chiang Mai vs 'amran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai, $540 in 'amran – roughly 59% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $810 in 'amran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in 'amran. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $861 in Chiang Mai and $540 in 'amran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $540 in 'amran, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $540 in 'amran to $861 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 'amran. 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.