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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 16.7% more expensive than Chengdu without rent, and 27% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 12.9% more expensive than Chengdu without rent, and 20.4% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ฿62.0

$2.85 ¥19.95

-30.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.68 ฿587

$23.68 ¥166

-21.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿249

$4.78 ¥33.44

65.69%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿63.6

$2.86 ¥20.00

-29.37%

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

$0.84 ฿26.44

$0.43 ¥3.03

95.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.06

$0.30 ¥2.11

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿69.9

$1.14 ¥7.96

94.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿113

$2.15 ¥15.01

66.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ฿52.3

$1.76 ¥12.30

-5.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.1

$1.45 ¥10.17

11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿37.82

$0.90 ¥6.29

33.33%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿60.8

$1.87 ¥13.10

3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.00 ฿503

$13.71 ¥95.8

16.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ฿99.2

$3.65 ¥25.52

-13.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 ฿343

$11.15 ¥77.9

-1.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ฿83.8

$1.86 ¥12.99

43.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿36.98

$1.23 ¥8.56

-4.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿51.5

$1.52 ¥10.64

7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿49.82

$1.02 ¥7.16

55.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿41.63

$0.67 ¥4.66

97.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿37.48

$0.71 ¥4.95

67.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.19

$0.61 ¥4.25

16.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿17.74

$0.60 ¥4.20

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿146

$3.43 ¥23.99

35.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.96 ฿596

$7.29 ¥51.0

160.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿55.6

$0.93 ¥6.50

90.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿101

$1.81 ¥12.67

76.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.31

$0.40 ¥2.79

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.24 ฿605

$27.33 ¥191

-29.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿42.77

$1.22 ¥8.56

11.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿42.35

$0.28 ¥1.97

382.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.15 ฿256

$4.29 ¥29.97

89.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿38.42

$1.12 ¥7.86

8.93%

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

$21.4K ฿671.6K

$18.4K ¥128.9K

15.89%

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

$21.7K ฿683.6K

$16.6K ¥115.7K

31.41%

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

$70.3 ฿2,210

$44.46 ¥311

58.12%

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

$13.91 ฿437

$11.65 ¥81.5

19.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿566

$11.49 ¥80.3

56.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.78 ฿1,313

$24.50 ¥171

70.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.80 ฿214

$11.27 ¥78.8

-39.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿180

$5.58 ¥39.02

2.51%

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

$308 ฿9,690

$339 ¥2,367

-8.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿465.6K

$12.3K ¥86.2K

20.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,755

$37.09 ¥259

50.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.71 ฿839

$38.29 ¥268

-30.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,657

$65.6 ¥458

28.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 ฿2,226

$50.5 ¥353

40.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 ฿13.5K

$316 ¥2,210

36.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,437

$179 ¥1,253

32.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿25.5K

$611 ¥4,269

32.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿15.7K

$334 ¥2,332

50.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 ฿69.2K

$3,998 ¥27.9K

-44.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,600 ฿50.3K

$2,015 ¥14.1K

-20.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$684 ฿21.5K

$1,110 ¥7,756

-38.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

18.76%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: January 13, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: January 12, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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