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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,046 in Albion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,860 in Albion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,674 in Albion.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 17% less than in Albion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Albion 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.69 MUR 316

-71.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$44.06 MUR 2,082

-57.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.43 MUR 304

21.62%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.60 MUR 75.4

21.87%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.97 MUR 45.90

-12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.60 MUR 28.58

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.96 MUR 92.6

8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.66 MUR 126

40.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.51 MUR 71.4

13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.56 MUR 26.65

191.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.32 MUR 62.4

-13.64%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.35 MUR 111

-17.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.91 MUR 563

36.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.27 MUR 249

-40.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.32 MUR 393

31.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.61 MUR 76.1

70.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.38 MUR 65.0

-12.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.45 MUR 68.5

11.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.02 MUR 95.6

-21.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.84 MUR 39.69

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.67 MUR 31.85

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.63 MUR 29.72

4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.31 MUR 14.83

70.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.01 MUR 284

-21.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.83 MUR 370

138.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.73 MUR 81.5

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.17 MUR 102

48.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.11 MUR 52.7

-18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$44.01 MUR 2,079

-56.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$4.31 MUR 204

-67.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.59 MUR 122

-50.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$19.77 MUR 934

-60.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.38 MUR 65.3

-7.97%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.5K MUR 1.7M

-40.05%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

-21.52%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$48.51 MUR 2,292

42.38%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$18.39 MUR 869

-23.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$33.42 MUR 1,579

-46.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$69.4 MUR 3,279

-40.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.01 MUR 284

-1.50%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$157 MUR 7,414

90.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,953 MUR 186.8K

278.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$55.8 MUR 2,634

-1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$44.35 MUR 2,096

-39.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$78.1 MUR 3,691

8.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$88.7 MUR 4,192

-20.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$507 MUR 24.0K

-15.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$352 MUR 16.6K

-32.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$932 MUR 44.0K

-13.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,110 MUR 52.4K

-53.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Albion: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $507 in Albion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $44.00 in Albion. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $193, with Albion cheaper for home cooking.

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 Albion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Albion differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $1,046 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $1,569 in Albion 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $507 in Albion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 129% less than in Albion. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $157 in Albion. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,046 in Albion, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Albion. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Chiang Mai and Albion 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 21% less than in Albion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.