Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Da Nang

For one person, living is cheaper in Da Nang: $866 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $710 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Da Nang
Learn more

Da Nang Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Da Nang

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$866

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Da Nang

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Da Nang actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $866 in Da Nang, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Da Nang $866

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,402 in Da Nang, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Da Nang $1,402

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,937 in Da Nang, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Da Nang $1,937

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Da Nang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Da Nang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$2.30 ₫59.7K

-0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$19.11 ₫494.6K

2.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$4.54 ₫117.4K

23.57%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.73 ₫44.7K

-4.05%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.60 ₫15.5K

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.34 ₫8,807

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.38 ₫35.9K

74.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.35 ₫60.8K

57.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.59 ₫41.1K

22.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$1.23 ₫31.7K

14.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.05 ₫27.1K

24.76%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.49 ₫38.5K

46.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$13.26 ₫343.2K

25.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$4.25 ₫110.1K

-35.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$9.57 ₫247.8K

-4.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$2.64 ₫68.3K

-9.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.20 ₫31.2K

-14.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.31 ₫34.0K

24.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.53 ₫39.5K

-1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.14 ₫29.6K

13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.31 ₫33.9K

-15.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.03 ₫26.8K

-30.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.53 ₫13.7K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$1.51 ₫39.2K

185.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$7.54 ₫195.2K

138.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$0.93 ₫24.2K

69.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.17 ₫56.2K

30.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.35 ₫8,963

145.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$5.01 ₫129.6K

963.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.04 ₫26.9K

16.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.56 ₫14.5K

1.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$19.19 ₫496.8K

-87.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$0.89 ₫23.1K

61.80%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$30.4K ₫788.3M

-31.92%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$28.1K ₫726.2M

-4.46%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$78.5 ₫2.0M

-20.64%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$6.17 ₫159.8K

96.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$8.35 ₫216.1K

138.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$25.33 ₫655.7K

46.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$5.45 ₫141.0K

-30.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$3.29 ₫85.1K

97.57%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$160 ₫4.2M

393.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$14.9K ₫385.9M

-0.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$44.73 ₫1.2M

20.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$27.90 ₫722.2K

-11.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$102 ₫2.6M

-11.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$81.1 ₫2.1M

-12.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$532 ₫13.8M

-14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$346 ₫9.0M

-13.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$1,039 ₫26.9M

-12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$794 ₫20.6M

-30.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$3,852 ₫99.7M

-49.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,328 ₫34.4M

8.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$354 ₫9.2M

66.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.72

-48.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Da Nang

$346 39.9% 16.1% $48

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Da Nang

$202 23.3% 14.2% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Da Nang

$115 13.3% 6.5% $7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Da Nang

$93 10.7% 1.4% $1.3

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Da Nang

$68 7.9% 13.3% $10

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Da Nang

$10 1.2% 83.2% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Da Nang

$32 3.7% 36.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $532 in Da Nang. 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 67% 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 $19.00 in Da Nang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $202 – making Da Nang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇻🇳 Da Nang

🕒 Local time

15:58 3:58 PM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,245,200

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Da Nang 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Da Nang

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Da Nang, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,300 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Da Nang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $160 in Da Nang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Da Nang 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. Da Nang costs $866 versus $925 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 Da Nang. 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.