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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $860 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,419 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,978 in Alexandria.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 1% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Alexandria 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$9.00 RON 40.68

-78.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$33.89 RON 153

-45.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.84 RON 30.94

14.33%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.87 RON 8.44

4.28%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.94 RON 8.78

-56.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.64 RON 7.41

-78.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.24 RON 10.15

-4.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.84 RON 12.83

31.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.34 RON 6.06

27.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.27 RON 5.73

28.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.41 RON 6.37

-19.15%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.40 RON 6.31

37.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.34 RON 24.15

203.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.48 RON 20.26

-30.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.59 RON 38.82

26.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.89 RON 4.03

208.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.51 RON 6.80

-19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.18 RON 5.31

37.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.12 RON 5.07

41.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.48 RON 2.18

191.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.71 RON 3.21

64.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.44 RON 2.01

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.72 RON 3.26

-26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.65 RON 25.53

-16.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.62 RON 25.41

232.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.72 RON 3.24

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$0.91 RON 4.10

254.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.72 RON 3.27

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$23.07 RON 104

-16.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.47 RON 2.13

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.44 RON 1.97

193.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.20 RON 23.50

50.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.58 RON 7.16

-19.62%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$18.1K RON 81.7K

17.72%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$23.9K RON 107.9K

-6.93%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$115 RON 521

-40.02%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$6.98 RON 31.55

101.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$6.86 RON 31.01

162.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$38.58 RON 174

6.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$9.09 RON 41.07

-23.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.66 RON 21.05

27.04%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$436 RON 1,971

-31.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,987 RON 31.6K

113.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$67.6 RON 306

-19.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$34.95 RON 158

-23.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$69.3 RON 313

22.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$68.5 RON 310

3.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$349 RON 1,576

22.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$232 RON 1,047

2.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$802 RON 3,624

-0.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$571 RON 2,580

-9.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,357 RON 6,135

45.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$843 RON 3,811

74.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,332 RON 6,021

-53.64%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $349 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria pays 116% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $34.00 in Alexandria. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $155, 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 1% 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, Alexandria earns 116% 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 $349 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $860 in Alexandria – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 20% 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 $860 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 1% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.