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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,016 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $1,684 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $2,352 in Alexandria.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 7% less than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Alexandria 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$15.90 JMD 2,505

-86.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$76.4 JMD 12.0K

-74.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$8.97 JMD 1,413

-37.01%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$5.45 JMD 858

-66.79%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$1.19 JMD 187

-40.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.69 JMD 108

-53.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$2.15 JMD 339

4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.07 JMD 483

18.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$4.23 JMD 667

-53.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$3.82 JMD 602

-60.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.62 JMD 256

-17.28%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$3.51 JMD 554

-35.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$11.28 JMD 1,778

44.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$6.22 JMD 980

-52.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$10.42 JMD 1,642

-4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$5.92 JMD 933

-56.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$3.95 JMD 622

-73.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$7.47 JMD 1,178

-78.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$2.99 JMD 471

-49.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$3.23 JMD 509

-60.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$2.68 JMD 422

-60.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$3.03 JMD 477

-76.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$1.46 JMD 231

-65.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$9.36 JMD 1,475

-55.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$11.54 JMD 1,819

54.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.81 JMD 443

-39.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$4.06 JMD 639

-30.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$1.17 JMD 184

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$3.22 JMD 508

-81.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$6.20 JMD 978

-60.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.39 JMD 220

1.44%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$44.4K JMD 7.0M

-51.68%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$32.3K JMD 5.1M

-15.48%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$173 JMD 27.2K

-63.10%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$30.02 JMD 4,731

-57.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$53.5 JMD 8,434

-62.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$13.41 JMD 2,114

-49.74%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$366 JMD 57.7K

112.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$8,169 JMD 1.3M

78.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$23.84 JMD 3,756

127.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$31.50 JMD 4,964

-19.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$77.7 JMD 12.2K

21.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$103 JMD 16.2K

-28.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $76.0 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $385 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 Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Alexandria differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($947 vs $1,016 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,421 in Chiang Mai and $1,525 in Alexandria 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.

Childcare runs $778 in Chiang Mai versus $366 in Alexandria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $76.0 in Alexandria. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,016 in Alexandria, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Alexandria. 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 Alexandria 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 7% less than in Alexandria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.