Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Arue

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,012 in Arue, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. The total is higher in Arue despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Arue

🇵🇫 French Polynesia

$1,012

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Arue

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Arue actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $925 in Chiang Mai versus $1,012 in Arue.

Chiang Mai $925
Arue $1,012

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Chiang Mai versus $1,498 in Arue.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Arue $1,498

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Chiang Mai versus $1,984 in Arue.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Arue $1,984

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 9% less than in Arue, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Arue 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.34 CFPF 142

45.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$4.54 CFPF 481

-68.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$3.75 CFPF 397

-65.07%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$11.43 CFPF 1,209

-80.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$55.4 CFPF 5,859

-69.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$26.05 CFPF 2,756

-89.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$22.92 CFPF 2,425

-60.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$5.29 CFPF 560

-54.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$2.89 CFPF 305

-64.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$7.36 CFPF 779

-77.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$8.54 CFPF 904

-82.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$4.09 CFPF 433

-68.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$2.83 CFPF 300

-60.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$3.81 CFPF 403

-81.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$1.37 CFPF 145

-61.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$11.86 CFPF 1,255

-63.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$27.67 CFPF 2,927

-35.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$2.73 CFPF 289

-42.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$7.40 CFPF 782

-61.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$156 CFPF 16.5K

-60.09%

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

$12.11 ฿405

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$122 CFPF 12.9K

-83.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

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

$793 ฿26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Arue: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Arue

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Arue

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Arue

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Arue

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Arue

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Arue

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Arue

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇫 Arue

🕒 Local time

18:39 6:39 PM

01:39 1:39 AM

17 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

10,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.45 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.45 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Arue 12,820 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Arue

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Arue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Arue. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,388 in Chiang Mai and $1,518 in Arue 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 212% higher in Arue. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $925 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,012 in Arue – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $925 in Chiang Mai versus $1,012 in Arue, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Arue. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $925 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Arue 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 9% less than in Arue. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.