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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $434 in Alexandria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $716 in Alexandria, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $998 in Alexandria, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 100% more than Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Alexandria are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Alexandria 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.49 E£181

-44.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$15.53 E£806

20.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$4.59 E£238

70.37%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.45 E£75.5

34.48%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.31 E£16.09

174.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.13 E£6.55

169.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.20 E£62.4

77.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.92 E£151

27.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.81 E£42.22

111.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.78 E£40.30

108.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.65 E£33.62

75.38%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.40 E£72.5

37.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.86 E£200

319.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.53 E£235

-31.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.64 E£501

13.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.48 E£77.0

85.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.59 E£30.40

105.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.39 E£20.39

315.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.40 E£20.58

297.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.38 E£19.53

268.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.41 E£21.23

185.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.24 E£12.52

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.19 E£9.68

178.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.04 E£106

129.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$5.75 E£298

224.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.36 E£70.8

32.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.58 E£134

25.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.17 E£8.89

429.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$13.79 E£716

39.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.52 E£27.05

171.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.43 E£22.26

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.95 E£101

302.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.33 E£17.20

284.85%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$34.9K E£1.8M

-39.01%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$33.0K E£1.7M

-32.68%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$11.47 E£595

502.18%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$5.74 E£298

145.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$10.18 E£528

76.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$13.30 E£690

208.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.89 E£357

1.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.01 E£156

96.68%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$88.9 E£4,616

236.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$1,842 E£95.6K

711.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$27.19 E£1,411

101.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$48.04 E£2,493

-44.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$109 E£5,671

-22.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$51.0 E£2,648

38.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$106 E£5,487

304.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$65.6 E£3,406

261.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$245 E£12.7K

227.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$134 E£6,931

286.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$698 E£36.2K

183.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$449 E£23.3K

228.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$135 E£7,008

357.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-70.59%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $106 in Alexandria. 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 357% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Alexandria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $130 – making Alexandria 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 100% more than Alexandria, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $650 in Alexandria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alexandria, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $88.9 in Alexandria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 89% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $434 in Alexandria, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandria costs $434 versus $866 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 Alexandria. 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.