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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $842 in Cimislia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,236 in Cimislia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,631 in Cimislia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Cimislia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cimislia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Cimislia 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$6.81 MDL 117

-71.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$23.20 MDL 398

-19.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$7.69 MDL 132

1.69%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$1.71 MDL 29.30

14.04%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$0.91 MDL 15.63

-6.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$0.66 MDL 11.29

-46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.19 MDL 20.36

78.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.35 MDL 40.39

58.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$1.07 MDL 18.40

59.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$0.40 MDL 6.85

307.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$1.46 MDL 25.03

-21.92%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$2.16 MDL 37.07

-10.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$8.84 MDL 152

83.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.01 MDL 68.8

-22.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$9.03 MDL 155

20.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$0.59 MDL 10.20

366.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$1.75 MDL 29.95

-30.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.50 MDL 25.75

8.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$2.10 MDL 35.97

-24.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$0.60 MDL 10.31

133.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$0.55 MDL 9.49

112.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$1.29 MDL 22.20

-48.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$0.87 MDL 15.00

-39.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$3.18 MDL 54.5

47.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$4.51 MDL 77.5

313.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$1.14 MDL 19.57

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.91 MDL 32.75

69.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$0.28 MDL 4.74

221.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$2.10 MDL 36.08

-32.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$0.25 MDL 4.24

416.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$5.29 MDL 90.9

48.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.37 MDL 23.58

-7.30%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$32.6K MDL 558.8K

-34.67%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$31.1K MDL 533.4K

-28.54%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$173 MDL 2,966

-60.04%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$7.54 MDL 129

86.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$10.77 MDL 185

67.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$17.69 MDL 304

132.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$7.70 MDL 132

-23.12%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$389 MDL 6,678

-23.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$7,540 MDL 129.4K

98.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$66.9 MDL 1,147

-18.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$53.8 MDL 924

-50.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$112 MDL 1,917

-23.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$122 MDL 2,091

-42.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$228 MDL 3,917

87.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$174 MDL 2,989

36.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$341 MDL 5,847

135.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$293 MDL 5,021

76.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$745 MDL 12.8K

165.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$698 MDL 12.0K

111.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

$437 MDL 7,498

41.30%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cimislia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $228 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 41% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Cimislia. Groceries tell a different story – $246 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 3% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,262 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 $19.00 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 45% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $842 in Cimislia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cimislia costs $842 versus $866 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.