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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,200 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $3,031 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $3,862 in Cambridge.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 61% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Cambridge is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$13.30 NZ$22.75

-85.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$35.68 NZ$61.0

-47.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.95 NZ$15.31

-11.51%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.06 NZ$5.23

-37.58%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.41 NZ$4.13

-65.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.16 NZ$3.69

-83.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$4.84 NZ$8.27

-54.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$6.31 NZ$10.79

-39.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.63 NZ$2.78

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.62 NZ$2.78

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.85 NZ$3.16

-36.22%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$6.21 NZ$10.61

-67.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.29 NZ$14.18

91.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$9.44 NZ$16.14

-68.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.43 NZ$21.25

-13.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.48 NZ$4.24

5.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.81 NZ$3.10

-32.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.42 NZ$4.14

-29.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.08 NZ$5.26

-48.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.09 NZ$3.58

-36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.80 NZ$3.07

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.11 NZ$3.60

-68.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.26 NZ$2.15

-55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$20.34 NZ$34.78

-77.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$10.41 NZ$17.80

74.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.44 NZ$4.17

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.70 NZ$4.62

19.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$3.03 NZ$5.19

-70.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$63.6 NZ$109

-69.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.63 NZ$4.50

-48.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.94 NZ$3.32

-30.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$35.17 NZ$60.1

-76.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.72 NZ$2.94

-26.16%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$26.7K NZ$45.7K

-20.89%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

-1.81%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$107 NZ$183

-34.30%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$36.98 NZ$63.2

-62.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$39.45 NZ$67.5

-55.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$37.05 NZ$63.4

12.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$12.10 NZ$20.69

-45.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$9.08 NZ$15.52

-36.34%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$742 NZ$1,269

-58.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

23.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$98.9 NZ$169

-45.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$58.2 NZ$99.4

-55.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$106 NZ$181

-20.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$129 NZ$221

-46.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$965 NZ$1,650

-56.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$1,213 NZ$2,075

-80.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$2,090 NZ$3,573

-60.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,568 NZ$2,681

-67.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,762 NZ$8,143

-56.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$3,478 NZ$5,947

-56.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$2,642 NZ$4,517

-75.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-16.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $965 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 316% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $36.00 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $294 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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 Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cambridge earns 316% less. 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $965 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $2,200 in Cambridge – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 228% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,200 in Cambridge, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Cambridge are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.