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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $510 in Amparai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $824 in Amparai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,138 in Amparai.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 86% more expensive than in Amparai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Amparai 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$4.35 LKR 1,428

-51.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$26.40 LKR 8,675

-24.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.77 LKR 2,554

-25.48%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.45 LKR 806

-25.31%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.72 LKR 238

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.25 LKR 81.6

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.24 LKR 736

4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.96 LKR 974

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.63 LKR 536

24.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.54 LKR 177

196.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.80 LKR 262

77.50%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.62 LKR 531

34.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$13.47 LKR 4,426

18.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.95 LKR 1,626

-37.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.06 LKR 2,321

39.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$7.00 LKR 2,300

-62.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.89 LKR 294

23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$4.27 LKR 1,403

-61.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.28 LKR 420

19.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.01 LKR 333

22.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.80 LKR 264

41.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.91 LKR 299

-18.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.49 LKR 159

2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$10.18 LKR 3,346

-57.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$13.89 LKR 4,566

29.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.92 LKR 631

-11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.86 LKR 940

1.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.38 LKR 125

223.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.36 LKR 118

47.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$0.87 LKR 287

175.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.35 LKR 443

6.67%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

-29.52%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

-35.79%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$55.9 LKR 18.4K

16.24%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$4.13 LKR 1,357

223.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$20.82 LKR 6,842

0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$1.80 LKR 593

272.78%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$38.47 LKR 12.6K

1945.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$1,205 LKR 396.1K

1154.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$20.09 LKR 6,602

179.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$16.50 LKR 5,422

51.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

16.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$41.96 LKR 13.8K

79.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$92.0 LKR 30.2K

558.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Amparai: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 558% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $26.00 in Amparai. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $239, with Amparai 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 Amparai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amparai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 558% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $38.47 in Amparai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Amparai – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $510 in Amparai versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Amparai but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Amparai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Amparai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Amparai 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 Amparai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.