Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cairns

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,531 in Cairns, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 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
121

Cost of Living Index in Cairns
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Cairns Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Cairns

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,531

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,531 in Cairns, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Cairns $2,531

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,753 in Cairns, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Cairns $3,753

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,975 in Cairns, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Cairns $4,975

Chiang Mai is about 63% cheaper than Cairns, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Cairns is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$17.49 A$24.86

-87.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$97.5 A$139

-80.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$12.68 A$18.02

-56.23%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$4.43 A$6.29

-62.30%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$3.22 A$4.57

-80.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$2.74 A$3.89

-88.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$7.21 A$10.25

-67.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$8.60 A$12.23

-57.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.94 A$2.76

0.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.46

$2.74 A$3.89

-47.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.03

$2.55 A$3.62

-47.84%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$5.13 A$7.29

-55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$9.50 A$13.50

73.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$13.77 A$19.58

-79.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$15.24 A$21.66

-38.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$4.09 A$5.81

-42.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.79

$2.85 A$4.05

-65.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.56 A$5.06

-55.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$5.93 A$8.43

-74.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

$2.62 A$3.72

-51.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.18

$2.53 A$3.59

-56.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$2.73 A$3.88

-73.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$2.63 A$3.74

-81.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$45.75 A$65.0

-90.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$13.94 A$19.81

25.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$3.48 A$4.95

-53.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$5.37 A$7.63

-48.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.30

$2.43 A$3.46

-64.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$15.73 A$22.36

243.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.04

$2.53 A$3.60

-54.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$1.94 A$2.76

-72.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$42.49 A$60.4

-94.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.88

$1.24 A$1.76

16.94%

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

$21.1K ฿710.5K

$29.8K A$42.4K

-29.38%

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

$26.9K ฿909.0K

$31.3K A$44.5K

-13.92%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$161 A$229

-61.47%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$34.86 A$49.55

-65.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$66.2 A$94.1

-69.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$44.42 A$63.1

-16.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$27.62 A$39.26

-86.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$13.75 A$19.54

-52.80%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$2,058 A$2,925

-64.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.2K

$14.3K A$20.3K

3.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$89.4 A$127

-40.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$73.3 A$104

-66.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$126 A$179

-27.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,427

$133 A$190

-46.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,491 A$2,120

-67.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$1,247 A$1,772

-75.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$2,408 A$3,422

-58.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,960 A$2,786

-67.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$6,463 A$9,187

-63.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$5,002 A$7,110

-68.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$4,338 A$6,166

-86.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.32

-11.87%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cairns: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Cairns

$1.2K 49.3% 304% $938

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Cairns

$413 16.3% 76.4% $179

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Cairns

$190 7.5% 74.9% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Cairns

$262 10.4% 178% $168

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Cairns

$308 12.2% 297% $231

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Cairns

$38 1.5% 38.6% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Cairns

$72 2.8% 43% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,491 in Cairns. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Cairns are about 7.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $97 in Cairns. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $413 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇺 Cairns

🕒 Local time

01:23 1:23 AM

04:23 4:23 AM

3 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

153,181

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.63 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 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.63 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Cairns 6,480 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Cairns

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 Cairns: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cairns costs about 170% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,796 in Cairns. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,491 in Cairns.

Groceries cost about 76% more in Cairns, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $97 in Cairns. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $2,531 in Cairns. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cairns makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.