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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $902 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,401 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,900 in Alexandria.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 3% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Alexandria 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$8.89 RON 40.78

-76.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$31.83 RON 146

-38.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.90 RON 36.24

-28.23%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.74 RON 7.97

4.02%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.91 RON 8.78

-59.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.57 RON 7.19

-77.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.24 RON 10.28

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.65 RON 12.17

43.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.51 RON 6.92

35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.85 RON 3.92

77.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.18 RON 5.41

18.64%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.19 RON 10.05

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$5.31 RON 24.38

204.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$4.55 RON 20.88

-36.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.08 RON 37.07

16.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$0.94 RON 4.29

185.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.20 RON 5.49

-9.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.01 RON 4.63

60.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.03 RON 4.73

41.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.69 RON 3.18

85.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.64 RON 2.95

65.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.75 RON 3.42

-4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.91 RON 4.15

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$5.51 RON 25.27

-23.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.37 RON 24.64

240.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.96 RON 4.40

69.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.11 RON 5.10

161.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.68 RON 3.12

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$43.97 RON 202

22.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.45 RON 2.08

160.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.45 RON 2.08

28.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$5.66 RON 25.97

-57.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.72 RON 7.90

-15.70%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$16.9K RON 77.5K

24.34%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$24.3K RON 111.4K

8.81%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$120 RON 549

-46.79%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$5.56 RON 25.52

131.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$8.20 RON 37.64

150.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$61.4 RON 282

-36.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$26.11 RON 120

-84.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$6.54 RON 29.99

0.61%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$323 RON 1,483

142.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,000 RON 32.1K

109.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$55.3 RON 254

-0.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$23.39 RON 107

5.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$66.4 RON 304

41.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$65.1 RON 299

13.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$323 RON 1,484

51.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$253 RON 1,160

13.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$597 RON 2,740

49.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$443 RON 2,032

17.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,315 RON 6,032

50.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$829 RON 3,802

74.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$886 RON 4,064

-32.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.73

-17.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $323 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $32.00 in Alexandria. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $156, with Alexandria 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 Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Alexandria. 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $323 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $902 in Alexandria – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 22% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $902 in Alexandria versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $902 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

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 Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.