Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Brookvale

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,565 in Brookvale, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Brookvale
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Brookvale Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Brookvale

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,565

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Brookvale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $2,565 in Brookvale.

Chiang Mai $936
Brookvale $2,565

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $3,679 in Brookvale.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Brookvale $3,679

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $4,794 in Brookvale.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Brookvale $4,794

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 64% less than in Brookvale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Brookvale is 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$17.79 A$25.41

-87.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$89.0 A$127

-78.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$10.41 A$14.87

-46.69%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$4.04 A$5.77

-58.66%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$2.92 A$4.18

-78.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$2.27 A$3.24

-86.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$8.23 A$11.76

-71.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$7.32 A$10.45

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.58 A$2.25

23.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$2.97 A$4.24

-51.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$2.38 A$3.40

-44.12%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$5.16 A$7.36

-55.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$11.84 A$16.91

38.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$9.56 A$13.65

-70.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$15.61 A$22.30

-40.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$3.94 A$5.62

-40.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$3.17 A$4.52

-69.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$3.38 A$4.82

-52.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$5.13 A$7.33

-70.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$3.22 A$4.60

-60.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$2.87 A$4.10

-61.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$2.32 A$3.32

-69.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$1.40 A$2.00

-65.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$44.39 A$63.4

-90.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$14.25 A$20.35

22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$4.02 A$5.74

-59.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$4.05 A$5.78

-31.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$3.11 A$4.44

-72.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

$87.3 A$125

-38.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$3.49 A$4.99

-66.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$1.59 A$2.28

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$40.58 A$58.0

-94.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$1.38 A$1.98

5.07%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$28.1K A$40.2K

-25.17%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$26.6K A$38.0K

1.37%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$183 A$262

-66.11%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$27.11 A$38.71

-55.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$56.5 A$80.7

-64.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$57.6 A$82.3

-35.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$15.86 A$22.65

-76.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$15.87 A$22.66

-59.11%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$2,397 A$3,423

-69.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$20.4K A$29.2K

-27.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$76.3 A$109

-30.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$57.7 A$82.3

-57.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$107 A$153

-14.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$127 A$181

-43.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$990 A$1,414

-51.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$1,251 A$1,787

-75.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$2,216 A$3,165

-54.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$1,793 A$2,560

-64.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$5,889 A$8,410

-59.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$4,963 A$7,087

-67.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$1,423 A$2,033

-58.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.92

-5.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Brookvale: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Brookvale

$1.3K 48.8% 305% $942

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Brookvale

$382 14.9% 62.9% $147

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Brookvale

$165 6.5% 52.3% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Brookvale

$267 10.4% 183% $173

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Brookvale

$299 11.6% 285% $221

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Brookvale

$111 4.3% 81.2% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Brookvale

$89 3.5% 77.7% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Chiang Mai and $990 in Brookvale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brookvale pays about 2.4 times 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: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $89 in Brookvale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $382 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇺 Brookvale

🕒 Local time

17:24 5:24 PM

21:24 9:24 PM

4 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

3,127

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 AUD = 0.7 USD

1 AUD = 0.625 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Brookvale 8,050 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Brookvale

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 Brookvale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $2,565 in Brookvale, so Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Chiang Mai. 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: $482 in Chiang Mai versus $990 in Brookvale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $936 per month in Chiang Mai versus $2,565 in Brookvale – Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 38% less than in Brookvale. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Chiang Mai is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Brookvale are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Brookvale. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.