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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $835 in Cimislia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,264 in Cimislia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,692 in Cimislia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Cimislia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cimislia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Cimislia 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$6.88 MDL 118

-71.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$23.29 MDL 401

-20.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$7.64 MDL 132

-1.83%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$1.71 MDL 29.44

12.87%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.92 MDL 15.84

-15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.70 MDL 11.99

-54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.16 MDL 19.91

85.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.38 MDL 40.99

55.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.03 MDL 17.80

66.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.42 MDL 7.27

271.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.50 MDL 25.87

-21.33%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.13 MDL 36.70

-7.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$9.01 MDL 155

78.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$4.15 MDL 71.6

-23.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$8.67 MDL 149

26.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$0.60 MDL 10.40

338.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.80 MDL 31.05

-35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.50 MDL 25.84

10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$2.06 MDL 35.58

-25.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.61 MDL 10.48

126.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.55 MDL 9.51

112.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.32 MDL 22.73

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.82 MDL 14.11

-37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$3.30 MDL 56.9

36.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$4.52 MDL 78.0

305.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.15 MDL 19.89

56.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.99 MDL 34.28

59.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.30 MDL 5.22

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$2.01 MDL 34.60

-29.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.25 MDL 4.27

424.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$5.13 MDL 88.4

57.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.44 MDL 24.80

-11.11%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$32.7K MDL 563.1K

-34.84%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$31.0K MDL 534.8K

-30.07%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$169 MDL 2,920

-59.17%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$7.62 MDL 131

83.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$10.94 MDL 188

64.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$17.20 MDL 296

145.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$7.74 MDL 133

-23.51%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$390 MDL 6,721

-23.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$7,514 MDL 129.5K

97.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$64.7 MDL 1,115

-13.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$54.8 MDL 944

-50.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$112 MDL 1,936

-24.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$120 MDL 2,075

-40.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$235 MDL 4,042

85.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$172 MDL 2,962

39.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$347 MDL 5,981

129.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$293 MDL 5,048

70.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$773 MDL 13.3K

158.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$702 MDL 12.1K

118.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$437 MDL 7,526

43.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

-45.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Cimislia: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $235 in Cimislia. 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 44% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $23 in Cimislia. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $170 in Cimislia – so Cimislia 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 Cimislia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Cimislia, 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,253 in Cimislia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cimislia, 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 $23.00 in Cimislia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $845 in Chiang Mai and $835 in Cimislia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cimislia costs $835 versus $845 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 Cimislia. 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.