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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $861 in Chaiyaphum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,423 in Chaiyaphum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $1,984 in Chaiyaphum.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 1% more expensive than Chaiyaphum, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Chaiyaphum 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.21 ฿39.47

63.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$31.12 ฿1,014

-39.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.22 ฿203

24.60%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.25 ฿40.76

53.60%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.47 ฿15.43

68.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.27 ฿8.71

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.41 ฿78.6

-8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.01 ฿131

-8.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.87 ฿60.8

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.40 ฿45.44

16.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.40 ฿45.50

-15.00%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.62 ฿52.8

23.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$18.28 ฿595

-12.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.09 ฿101

-1.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.15 ฿298

18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.44 ฿112

-19.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.64 ฿20.69

84.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.29 ฿74.6

-28.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.86 ฿60.6

-18.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.67 ฿54.2

-17.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.48 ฿48.33

-19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.97 ฿31.63

-27.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.30 ฿9.61

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.40 ฿143

4.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$15.31 ฿499

8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.77 ฿57.6

3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.35 ฿109

-4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.89 ฿29.14

-1.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.06 ฿34.57

28.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.15 ฿37.51

16.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.29 ฿205

24.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.11 ฿36.25

10.81%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$37.4K ฿1.2M

-42.13%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.6K ฿931.3K

-21.15%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$45.50 ฿1,482

55.03%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$11.60 ฿378

17.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$12.37 ฿403

41.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$48.33 ฿1,574

-14.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$12.27 ฿400

-43.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.89 ฿257

-26.87%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$591 ฿19.2K

-48.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$13.2K ฿431.0K

10.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$57.7 ฿1,880

-3.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$38.50 ฿1,254

-31.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$106 ฿3,445

-18.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$93.6 ฿3,050

-22.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$287 ฿9,358

-16.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$810 ฿26.4K

0.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$664 ฿21.6K

-23.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,008 ฿65.4K

-1.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,326 ฿43.2K

11.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$455 ฿14.8K

35.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

-14.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chaiyaphum: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $428 in Chaiyaphum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 36% 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 $31.00 in Chaiyaphum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $243 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 Chaiyaphum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chaiyaphum is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chiang Mai pays 36% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $428 in Chaiyaphum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $307 in Chiang Mai versus $591 in Chaiyaphum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chaiyaphum – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $861 in Chaiyaphum versus $869 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chaiyaphum but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Chaiyaphum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Chaiyaphum 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 Chaiyaphum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.