Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Chilanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Chilanga: $585 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
28

Cost of Living Index in Chilanga
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Chilanga Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Chilanga

🇿🇲 Zambia

$585

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Chilanga

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Chilanga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $585 in Chilanga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Chilanga $585

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $928 in Chilanga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Chilanga $928

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,271 in Chilanga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Chilanga $1,271

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than Chilanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Chilanga are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Chilanga 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$5.65 ZMW 112

-59.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$29.59 ZMW 589

-33.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$5.12 ZMW 102

9.57%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.76 ZMW 54.9

-39.86%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.74 ZMW 14.64

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.48 ZMW 9.57

-35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.23 ZMW 24.49

95.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.31 ZMW 46.00

60.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.70 ZMW 33.83

14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$1.17 ZMW 23.22

20.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$2.10 ZMW 41.80

-37.62%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.92 ZMW 38.10

13.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$10.24 ZMW 204

62.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$6.36 ZMW 126

-56.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$6.65 ZMW 132

36.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$3.44 ZMW 68.5

-30.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$2.37 ZMW 47.19

-56.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$3.56 ZMW 70.8

-54.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.51 ZMW 29.94

-0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$2.49 ZMW 49.46

-48.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.79 ZMW 35.65

-37.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.11 ZMW 21.99

-35.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.79 ZMW 15.67

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.95 ZMW 58.7

46.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$9.91 ZMW 197

81.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.42 ZMW 28.20

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.33 ZMW 46.41

21.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$2.56 ZMW 50.9

-52.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$1.47 ZMW 29.24

-61.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$4.87 ZMW 96.9

-51.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.48 ZMW 29.40

-2.70%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$7,420 ZMW 147.6K

179.40%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$27.4K ZMW 544.4K

-2.08%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$80.1 ZMW 1,592

-22.14%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$10.46 ZMW 208

15.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$55.8 ZMW 1,110

-64.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$6.05 ZMW 120

7.44%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$139 ZMW 2,768

469.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$16.6K ZMW 331.0K

-11.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$23.71 ZMW 472

126.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$15.19 ZMW 302

62.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$45.76 ZMW 910

98.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$71.2 ZMW 1,415

-0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-80.79%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chilanga: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Chilanga

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Chilanga

$237 40.5% 0.6% $1.4

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Chilanga

$70 12% 35.2% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Chilanga

$146 25% 55% $52

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Chilanga

$109 18.7% 39.2% $31

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Chilanga

$9.9 * 1.7% 83.7% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Chilanga

$12 * 2.1% 75.8% $38

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Chilanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $237 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇿🇲 Chilanga

🕒 Local time

18:41 6:41 PM

13:41 1:41 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

107,051

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 19.89 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.03 USD). 1 EUR = 22.36 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Chilanga 8,630 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Chilanga

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Chilanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than Chilanga, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $877 in Chilanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $30.00 in Chilanga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chilanga, where all-in costs run around $585, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Chilanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chilanga costs $585 versus $925 in Chiang Mai. 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 Chilanga. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.