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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,814 in Albury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $2,766 in Albury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $3,717 in Albury.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 52% less than in Albury, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 35% below, Albury is 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$16.04 A$22.35

-87.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$86.7 A$121

-78.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.92 A$13.82

-21.17%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.48 A$4.85

-43.97%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.65 A$3.70

-67.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.35 A$3.27

-85.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$6.53 A$9.10

-67.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$6.44 A$8.97

-42.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.41 A$1.97

21.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.56 A$3.57

-36.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.78 A$2.49

-35.96%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.12 A$5.74

-53.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.06 A$11.23

101.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$8.95 A$12.48

-65.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.62 A$16.19

-6.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.14 A$4.38

-12.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.82 A$3.93

-57.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.07 A$4.28

-47.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.88 A$6.80

-67.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.32 A$3.23

-39.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.94 A$2.70

-39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.12 A$2.95

-68.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.35 A$1.88

-60.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$23.51 A$32.77

-80.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$14.85 A$20.70

25.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$4.13 A$5.75

-56.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$5.63 A$7.85

-42.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$2.54 A$3.53

-64.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$66.0 A$91.9

-70.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$3.29 A$4.58

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.72 A$2.40

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$38.75 A$54.0

-79.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.14 A$1.58

11.40%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$28.3K A$39.5K

-24.87%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$22.9K A$31.9K

-3.07%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$221 A$308

-68.73%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$29.26 A$40.78

-51.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$53.1 A$73.9

-66.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$49.44 A$68.9

-16.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$15.64 A$21.79

-55.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.99 A$16.71

-50.63%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$1,771 A$2,468

-83.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$13.4K A$18.7K

11.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$61.7 A$86.0

-11.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$39.77 A$55.4

-32.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$89.3 A$124

-4.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$101 A$140

-29.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$810 A$1,128

-47.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$616 A$858

-61.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,311 A$1,827

-38.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$960 A$1,337

-46.28%

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

$3,682 A$5,131

-83.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

-20.51%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Albury: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $810 in Albury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Albury pays 496% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $87.0 in Albury for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $334 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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 109% lower than in Albury. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Albury earns 496% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $810 in Albury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Albury. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $87.0 in Albury. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,814 in Albury, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Albury. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Albury 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 109% less than in Albury. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.