Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Chang-hua Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Chang-hua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $904 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,361 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,819 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Chang-hua are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Chang-hua 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.76 NT$118

-48.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.15 NT$855

-31.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.64 NT$178

38.65%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.84 NT$57.8

5.98%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.88 NT$27.63

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.46 NT$14.54

-23.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.45 NT$45.62

46.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.98 NT$62.3

88.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.76 NT$86.9

-38.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.91 NT$60.1

-14.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.17 NT$99.9

-64.04%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.91 NT$91.7

-33.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$17.14 NT$540

-5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.81 NT$246

-60.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$20.15 NT$634

-45.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$5.22 NT$164

-47.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.89 NT$91.1

-58.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.75 NT$86.7

-41.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.23 NT$102

-50.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.75 NT$86.5

-49.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.19 NT$69.0

-46.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.87 NT$59.0

-64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.81 NT$25.47

-34.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.95 NT$124

18.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$9.61 NT$302

94.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.56 NT$49.26

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.41 NT$75.8

34.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.72 NT$54.0

-47.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$37.34 NT$1,175

-48.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.95 NT$93.0

-52.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.78 NT$24.68

65.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$10.29 NT$324

-23.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.02 NT$32.18

24.51%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$38.6K NT$1.2M

-44.83%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$27.5K NT$864.1K

-19.08%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$34.13 NT$1,074

102.37%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$18.70 NT$589

-24.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$20.26 NT$638

-11.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$26.09 NT$821

57.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$15.35 NT$483

-54.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$10.07 NT$317

-41.21%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$643 NT$20.2K

-53.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$8,353 NT$262.9K

79.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$53.8 NT$1,692

1.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$16.87 NT$531

58.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$84.1 NT$2,647

1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$53.8 NT$1,692

31.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$312 NT$9,829

37.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$190 NT$5,974

25.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$546 NT$17.2K

46.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$189 NT$5,953

172.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$3,014 NT$94.9K

-34.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,682 NT$52.9K

-12.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$2,015 NT$63.4K

-69.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

128.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $312 in Chang-hua. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 226% higher in Chang-hua, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Chang-hua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $354 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chang-hua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chang-hua costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,355 in Chang-hua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $904 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 94% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $904 in Chang-hua, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $904 in Chang-hua. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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