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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $822 in Cimislia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,183 in Cimislia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,544 in Cimislia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Cimislia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cimislia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cimislia 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$6.93 MDL 118

-69.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$23.38 MDL 399

-16.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$10.74 MDL 183

-47.39%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$1.72 MDL 29.39

5.23%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$1.14 MDL 19.47

-37.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.71 MDL 12.14

-54.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$1.15 MDL 19.71

94.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.28 MDL 38.96

59.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.06 MDL 18.18

84.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.43 MDL 7.31

248.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$1.66 MDL 28.42

-19.28%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$2.09 MDL 35.67

8.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$6.89 MDL 118

135.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.11 MDL 70.2

-28.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$6.38 MDL 109

55.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$0.56 MDL 9.60

358.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.28 MDL 38.90

-53.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.44 MDL 24.63

11.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$2.01 MDL 34.34

-24.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.60 MDL 10.21

111.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.54 MDL 9.26

98.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.45 MDL 7.72

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.60 MDL 10.19

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.45 MDL 58.9

21.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$4.81 MDL 82.1

271.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.19 MDL 20.40

42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.02 MDL 34.42

40.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.28 MDL 4.72

232.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$2.86 MDL 48.86

-56.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.27 MDL 4.65

114.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$5.72 MDL 97.8

-57.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.50 MDL 25.59

-6.00%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$35.4K MDL 604.2K

-39.39%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$25.6K MDL 437.0K

6.83%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$236 MDL 4,031

-73.02%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$8.35 MDL 143

53.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$11.86 MDL 202

70.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$17.81 MDL 304

117.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$7.65 MDL 131

-11.90%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$119 MDL 2,027

555.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$5,475 MDL 93.5K

166.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$46.40 MDL 792

17.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$58.2 MDL 993

62.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$53.0 MDL 905

38.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$233 MDL 3,987

109.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$173 MDL 2,950

67.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$353 MDL 6,036

152.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$292 MDL 4,996

76.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$762 MDL 13.0K

156.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$695 MDL 11.9K

112.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$438 MDL 7,479

37.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-30.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cimislia: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $233 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 38% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Cimislia. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $154 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 15% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,234 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 $20.00 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 56% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cimislia, where all-in costs run around $822, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Cimislia 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. Cimislia costs $822 versus $947 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.