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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,048 in Chillan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,500 in Chillan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,952 in Chillan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Chillan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Chillan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Chillan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$5.43 CLP 5,057

-63.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$26.87 CLP 25.0K

-31.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.31 CLP 5,872

18.54%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.07 CLP 2,858

-34.20%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.97 CLP 903

-12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.91 CLP 850

-60.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$3.61 CLP 3,365

-40.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.07 CLP 3,787

-11.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.10 CLP 1,022

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.70 CLP 1,582

-7.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.87 CLP 1,741

-36.36%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.96 CLP 3,687

-51.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.73 CLP 7,194

109.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.59 CLP 6,137

-54.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.83 CLP 10.1K

1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.87 CLP 1,741

44.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.51 CLP 1,405

-22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.52 CLP 1,412

11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.47 CLP 1,367

8.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.28 CLP 1,190

7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.37 CLP 1,272

-12.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.26 CLP 1,173

-46.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.22 CLP 1,134

-54.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.44 CLP 5,068

-14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$3.39 CLP 3,161

419.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.60 CLP 1,489

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.32 CLP 2,163

42.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.63 CLP 588

39.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.47 CLP 434

189.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.42 CLP 1,327

-14.08%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$12.6K CLP 11.8M

69.03%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$15.9K CLP 14.8M

41.85%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$137 CLP 127.6K

-48.42%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$13.69 CLP 12.7K

2.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$24.41 CLP 22.7K

-28.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$16.28 CLP 15.2K

158.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$21.54 CLP 20.1K

-68.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$12.05 CLP 11.2K

-50.87%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$438 CLP 408.1K

-29.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$49.98 CLP 46.5K

11.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$30.14 CLP 28.1K

-13.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$52.0 CLP 48.4K

59.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$68.2 CLP 63.5K

3.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$478 CLP 445.1K

-9.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$370 CLP 344.6K

-35.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$452 CLP 420.6K

82.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$583 CLP 543.0K

-12.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$2,474 CLP 2.3M

-40.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$692 CLP 644.0K

-16.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

-3.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chillan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $478 in Chillan. 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 19% higher in Chillan, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Chillan. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $217 in Chillan – so Chillan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chillan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chillan costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,572 in Chillan. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Chillan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Chillan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,048 in Chillan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,048 in Chillan. 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, Chillan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.