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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $879 in Corum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,368 in Corum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,857 in Corum, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Corum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Corum are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Corum 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.49 ₺309

-68.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$25.11 ₺1,194

-25.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.49 ₺261

43.17%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.62 ₺124

-22.52%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.74 ₺35.09

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.26 ₺12.44

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.20 ₺105

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.48 ₺118

47.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.95 ₺45.36

82.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.70 ₺33.41

124.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.39 ₺114

-49.79%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.26 ₺107

-12.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.65 ₺459

68.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.80 ₺275

-47.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$19.62 ₺933

-44.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.46 ₺69.6

89.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.34 ₺111

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.31 ₺62.3

30.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.54 ₺73.1

3.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.75 ₺35.42

85.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.61 ₺28.78

90.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.07 ₺50.8

-38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.43 ₺20.41

20.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.19 ₺104

112.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$9.78 ₺465

81.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.09 ₺99.3

-14.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.10 ₺148

7.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.62 ₺29.59

46.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$30.37 ₺1,444

-38.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.87 ₺41.25

62.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.64 ₺30.45

109.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.37 ₺303

27.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.23 ₺58.6

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$42.5K ₺2.0M

-49.53%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$44.0K ₺2.1M

-50.42%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$84.9 ₺4,033

-15.94%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$10.71 ₺509

30.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$13.74 ₺653

30.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$30.59 ₺1,454

33.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.42 ₺305

-10.90%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$605 ₺28.7K

-49.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$13.4K ₺637.5K

9.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$17.53 ₺833

218.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$44.01 ₺2,092

-40.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$105 ₺4,980

-19.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$95.6 ₺4,543

-25.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$280 ₺13.3K

51.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$204 ₺9,709

18.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$568 ₺27.0K

40.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$426 ₺20.2K

18.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,290 ₺61.3K

48.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$880 ₺41.8K

66.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$544 ₺25.9K

9.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.4

-89.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Corum: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $280 in Corum. 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 9% 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 $25.00 in Corum. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $235 in Corum – so Corum 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 Corum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Corum costs about 3% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,319 in Corum. 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.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $605 in Corum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Corum – 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $879 in Corum, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $879 in Corum. 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, Corum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.