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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $836 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,380 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,924 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 36% lower, Alexandria 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$9.29 RON 42.66

-78.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$34.04 RON 156

-46.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.11 RON 32.63

5.20%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.88 RON 8.65

7.45%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.99 RON 9.12

-57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.64 RON 7.54

-78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.36 RON 10.82

-9.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.73 RON 12.53

31.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.42 RON 6.50

16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.26 RON 5.77

24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.35 RON 6.19

-11.85%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.36 RON 6.27

42.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$5.22 RON 23.95

210.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.65 RON 21.34

-35.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.97 RON 41.18

21.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.94 RON 4.32

188.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.52 RON 6.95

-23.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.18 RON 5.43

43.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.13 RON 5.18

41.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.44 RON 2.04

213.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.67 RON 3.07

79.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.44 RON 2.02

52.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.72 RON 3.32

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.50 RON 25.24

-15.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.41 RON 24.85

225.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.67 RON 3.06

177.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$0.95 RON 4.35

247.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.71 RON 3.28

23.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$23.48 RON 108

-17.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.48 RON 2.20

183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.44 RON 2.01

204.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.99 RON 22.89

64.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.59 RON 7.32

-23.27%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$18.1K RON 82.9K

18.18%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$24.0K RON 110.4K

-6.31%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$118 RON 540

-39.98%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$7.11 RON 32.62

97.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$6.89 RON 31.62

153.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$38.29 RON 176

10.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$9.04 RON 41.48

-23.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.74 RON 21.76

24.89%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$431 RON 1,980

-28.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$7,025 RON 32.2K

111.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$69.6 RON 320

-19.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$34.98 RON 161

-25.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$68.4 RON 314

21.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$69.4 RON 318

1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$342 RON 1,571

26.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$231 RON 1,059

3.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$798 RON 3,662

3.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$571 RON 2,620

-10.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,329 RON 6,099

44.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$811 RON 3,725

80.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$861 RON 3,955

-32.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-23.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $342 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $34.00 in Alexandria. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $157, 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 49% 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $342 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $836 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 21% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Alexandria gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $836 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.