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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $852 in Cimislia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,242 in Cimislia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,632 in Cimislia, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Cimislia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cimislia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Cimislia 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.5

$7.11 MDL 124

-71.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$23.53 MDL 409

-20.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$7.69 MDL 134

1.95%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$1.78 MDL 31.01

8.43%

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

$0.83 ฿28.05

$0.93 MDL 16.22

-10.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.82

$0.64 MDL 11.21

-45.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$1.20 MDL 20.91

85.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$2.36 MDL 41.07

60.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.03 MDL 17.84

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$0.43 MDL 7.48

260.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.86

$1.52 MDL 26.44

-22.37%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.0

$2.15 MDL 37.39

-6.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$8.72 MDL 152

85.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$3.99 MDL 69.4

-24.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$8.92 MDL 155

21.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.4

$0.57 MDL 9.88

370.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.21

$1.83 MDL 31.90

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$1.49 MDL 25.93

9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.10 MDL 36.52

-27.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.18

$0.61 MDL 10.57

119.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.93

$0.58 MDL 10.13

108.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.67

$1.32 MDL 22.95

-46.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.73

$0.89 MDL 15.47

-40.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$3.20 MDL 55.7

46.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿598

$4.44 MDL 77.3

298.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.3

$1.20 MDL 20.85

54.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$2.00 MDL 34.72

60.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.07

$0.30 MDL 5.23

196.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$2.04 MDL 35.49

-30.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$0.27 MDL 4.72

377.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$5.28 MDL 91.9

47.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.67

$1.37 MDL 23.82

-5.84%

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

$21.8K ฿734.7K

$31.6K MDL 550.0K

-31.13%

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

$21.7K ฿732.1K

$31.5K MDL 548.7K

-31.21%

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

$70.0 ฿2,362

$173 MDL 3,006

-59.49%

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

$14.19 ฿479

$7.66 MDL 133

85.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿588

$10.98 MDL 191

58.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,405

$17.76 MDL 309

134.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$7.45 MDL 130

-22.42%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$386 MDL 6,725

-22.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿490.1K

$7,482 MDL 130.2K

94.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,869

$66.0 MDL 1,149

-16.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿888

$54.1 MDL 941

-51.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,863

$113 MDL 1,966

-24.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,379

$122 MDL 2,117

-42.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

$231 MDL 4,016

84.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,933

$171 MDL 2,977

37.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

$352 MDL 6,122

128.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$293 MDL 5,097

76.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

$734 MDL 12.8K

162.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

$692 MDL 12.0K

109.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$433 MDL 7,533

35.43%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Cimislia: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $231 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 35% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Cimislia. Groceries tell a different story – $242 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

Cimislia costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,278 in Cimislia. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Cimislia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 42% cheaper in Cimislia – 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 $847 in Chiang Mai and $852 in Cimislia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $852 in Cimislia. 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, Cimislia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.