🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,127 in Centurion.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,850 in Centurion.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $2,573 in Centurion.
🙂Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 24% less than in Centurion, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai36% lower, Centurion16% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Centurion
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$10.83R 182
-81.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$33.57R 563
-43.97%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$4.80R 80.5
65.00%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$2.04R 34.17
-6.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$0.99R 16.68
-15.15%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$0.81R 13.52
-56.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$2.26R 37.98
-2.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$2.58R 43.29
47.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Centurion
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$1.20R 20.11
36.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$1.02R 17.07
58.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$1.69R 28.35
-30.18%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$2.52R 42.31
-20.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$8.17R 137
94.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$4.83R 81.1
-37.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$6.60R 111
63.18%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$1.61R 26.98
62.11%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$1.56R 26.17
-21.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$1.67R 27.98
1.80%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$1.65R 27.69
-4.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$1.34R 22.51
-1.49%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$1.39R 23.33
-15.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$1.05R 17.57
-36.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$1.10R 18.49
-49.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$3.15R 52.8
43.81%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
$5.38R 90.2
238.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
$1.45R 24.24
26.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$1.77R 29.73
82.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Centurion
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
$2.26R 37.93
-60.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
$91.3R 1,531
-78.77%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$1.14R 19.04
18.42%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$1.10R 18.51
22.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$4.09R 68.7
101.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$1.30R 21.85
-2.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$22.1KR 370.2K
-4.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$24.3KR 406.9K
-7.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Centurion
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$118R 1,975
-40.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$37.31R 626
-63.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$41.19R 691
-57.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Centurion
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
$42.25R 709
-1.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
$0.95R 15.97
594.74%
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$7.68R 129
-24.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Centurion
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$204R 3,428
49.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$4,324R 72.5K
242.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Centurion
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$50.3R 844
8.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$32.56R 546
-19.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$86.4R 1,450
-2.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$87.0R 1,460
-20.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Centurion
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
$319R 5,354
32.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
$331R 5,545
-27.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
$531R 8,897
55.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$821R 13.8K
-37.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
$514R 8,619
298.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
$579R 9,703
163.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Centurion
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
$2,253R 37.8K
-71.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
11.69
-57.23%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Centurion: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $319 in Centurion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Centurion pays 255% 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 $34.00 in Centurion. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $186, with Centurion cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Chiang Mai vs Centurion: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Centurion?
Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Centurion. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Chiang Mai or Centurion?
On paper, Centurion earns 255% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chiang Mai vs Centurion?
Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $319 in Centurion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Chiang Mai vs Centurion?
A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 371% less than in Centurion. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Centurion?
Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $204 in Centurion. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or Centurion?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Centurion?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $852 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Centurion?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Centurion are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Centurion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado