Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Beijing (Pekin) Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Beijing (Pekin)

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 2% cheaper than Beijing (Pekin) without rent, and 16.8% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 7.1% cheaper than Beijing (Pekin) without rent, and 26.6% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$4.08 ¥29.26
-50.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$27.3 ¥196
-31.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$5.17 ¥37.06
48.36%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$3.09 ¥22.18
-35.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.45 ¥3.26
82.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.3 ¥2.17
10.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$1.09 ¥7.8
94.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$2.13 ¥15.27
75.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.69 ¥12.1
-2.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$1.64 ¥11.74
-4.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$1.07 ¥7.66
11.21%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$1.67 ¥12.01
18.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$16.01 ¥115
-0.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$3.19 ¥22.88
-2.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$9.51 ¥68.2
17.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$2.07 ¥14.88
33.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$1.57 ¥11.28
-22.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$1.8 ¥12.93
-5.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$1.29 ¥9.23
20.16%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$0.84 ¥5.99
59.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$0.91 ¥6.55
32.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$0.67 ¥4.83
7.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.52 ¥3.74
1.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$3.45 ¥24.73
36.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$8.69 ¥62.3
111.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$0.8 ¥5.73
123.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$1.75 ¥12.58
83.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.54 ¥3.85
74.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$31.25 ¥224
-39.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$1.78 ¥12.73
-20.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$0.33 ¥2.36
309.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$10.64 ¥76.4
-26.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.14 ¥8.19
9.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$18.7K ¥134.5K
12.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$15.6K ¥111.9K
40.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$52.2 ¥375
35.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$8.86 ¥63.6
54.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$12.53 ¥89.9
40.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$48.38 ¥347
-13.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$18.48 ¥133
-62.66%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$8.32 ¥59.7
-30.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$664 ¥4,766
-53.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$24K ¥172.3K
-38.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$61.3 ¥440
-9.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$35.24 ¥253
-25.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$79.9 ¥573
6.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$101 ¥725
-28.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$892 ¥6,397
-51.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$451 ¥3,234
-47.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$1,946 ¥14K
-57.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$1,092 ¥7,836
-54.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$14.7K ¥105.4K
-85.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$6,282 ¥45.1K
-75.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$1,425 ¥10.2K
-50.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
3.64
37.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): October 28, 2025

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