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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $680 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,085 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,490 in Calarasi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Calarasi 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$8.79 MDL 153

-77.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$36.62 MDL 638

-49.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.41 MDL 129

0.94%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.89 MDL 32.94

6.88%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.99 MDL 17.25

-14.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.70 MDL 12.12

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.79 MDL 31.10

19.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.37 MDL 41.25

51.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.29 MDL 22.39

27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.52 MDL 9.11

201.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.44 MDL 25.09

-17.36%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.60 MDL 45.33

-25.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$10.42 MDL 181

55.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.36 MDL 93.3

-44.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.62 MDL 150

26.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.83 MDL 14.50

226.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.77 MDL 30.86

-33.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.69 MDL 29.39

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.06 MDL 35.81

-22.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.78 MDL 13.58

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.59 MDL 10.22

103.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.35 MDL 23.50

-50.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.89 MDL 15.48

-37.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.19 MDL 55.6

45.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.21 MDL 21.11

53.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.96 MDL 34.14

68.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$2.00 MDL 34.90

-32.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.25 MDL 4.35

436.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.27 MDL 91.8

55.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.42 MDL 24.70

-14.08%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$32.7K MDL 569.1K

-34.67%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$30.7K MDL 534.6K

-26.63%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$170 MDL 2,966

-58.51%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$7.31 MDL 127

92.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$11.03 MDL 192

58.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.54 MDL 131

-21.49%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$385 MDL 6,705

-19.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$7,574 MDL 131.9K

96.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$64.7 MDL 1,126

-13.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$52.8 MDL 919

-50.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$111 MDL 1,931

-25.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$121 MDL 2,107

-41.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $37.00 in Calarasi. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $180 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 27%, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,020 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $861 in Chiang Mai and $680 in Calarasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $385 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $680 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.