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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,179 in Dabas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,736 in Dabas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,294 in Dabas, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 28% cheaper than Dabas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Dabas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Dabas 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$8.80 Ft 2,773

-76.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$33.90 Ft 10.7K

-44.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.68 Ft 2,735

-9.45%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.40 Ft 440

45.00%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.15 Ft 361

-30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.45 Ft 141

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.54 Ft 484

38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.45 Ft 458

153.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.07 Ft 337

61.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.40 Ft 442

12.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.88 Ft 591

-36.17%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.44 Ft 769

-19.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.39 Ft 2,958

72.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.15 Ft 1,937

-50.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$14.43 Ft 4,547

-25.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.01 Ft 633

37.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.08 Ft 655

-43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.20 Ft 692

-22.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$3.56 Ft 1,120

-55.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.22 Ft 384

13.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.23 Ft 388

-5.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.77 Ft 559

-62.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.54 Ft 169

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.30 Ft 2,300

-36.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$4.76 Ft 1,501

273.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.22 Ft 386

46.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.03 Ft 640

64.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.13 Ft 356

-19.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$25.17 Ft 7,930

-25.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$3.14 Ft 990

-55.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.06 Ft 335

26.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$22.84 Ft 7,196

-64.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.40 Ft 441

-12.14%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$27.3K Ft 8.6M

-21.35%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$31.9K Ft 10.0M

-31.49%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$164 Ft 51.5K

-56.40%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$27.10 Ft 8,539

-48.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$19.77 Ft 6,230

-9.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$45.94 Ft 14.5K

-11.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$16.58 Ft 5,225

-58.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.70 Ft 2,426

-25.71%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$405 Ft 127.5K

-23.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$7,264 Ft 2.3M

102.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$92.5 Ft 29.1K

-39.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$44.93 Ft 14.2K

-42.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$93.1 Ft 29.3K

-8.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$101 Ft 31.7K

-29.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$439 Ft 138.2K

-3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$344 Ft 108.4K

-29.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$638 Ft 201.2K

24.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$525 Ft 165.3K

-3.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$3,519 Ft 1.1M

-45.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$2,383 Ft 750.8K

-38.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dabas: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $439 in Dabas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Dabas. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $233 in Dabas – so Dabas 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 Dabas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dabas costs about 38% 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 $1,768 in Dabas. 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 $405 in Dabas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Dabas – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Dabas at $1,179. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dabas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,179 in Dabas. 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, Dabas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.