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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $694 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,084 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,475 in Calarasi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 25% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Calarasi 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.62 MDL 148

-77.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$36.19 MDL 622

-48.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.38 MDL 127

5.96%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.85 MDL 31.88

5.41%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.97 MDL 16.68

-12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.65 MDL 11.18

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.72 MDL 29.58

23.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.29 MDL 39.29

62.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.28 MDL 22.00

33.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.52 MDL 8.99

213.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.50 MDL 25.85

-24.00%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.58 MDL 44.37

-25.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.46 MDL 180

54.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.32 MDL 91.5

-41.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.95 MDL 154

21.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.84 MDL 14.43

227.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.74 MDL 29.95

-30.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.70 MDL 29.25

-4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.11 MDL 36.26

-24.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.82 MDL 14.13

70.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.59 MDL 10.14

98.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.34 MDL 23.06

-50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.90 MDL 15.39

-41.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.25 MDL 55.8

44.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.25 MDL 21.51

44.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.97 MDL 33.79

63.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.03 MDL 34.95

-30.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.27 MDL 4.68

377.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.28 MDL 90.7

48.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.44 MDL 24.70

-11.81%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.4K MDL 556.8K

-34.31%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$30.9K MDL 531.5K

-28.16%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$172 MDL 2,950

-59.75%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$7.55 MDL 130

86.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$10.64 MDL 183

69.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.65 MDL 132

-22.61%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$386 MDL 6,628

-22.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,744 MDL 133.1K

93.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$65.9 MDL 1,132

-16.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$54.0 MDL 929

-50.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$114 MDL 1,953

-25.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$125 MDL 2,147

-43.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

-45.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Calarasi. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $181 in Calarasi – so Calarasi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,041 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $694 in Calarasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $386 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $694 in Calarasi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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