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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,362 in Dabas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,041 in Dabas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,719 in Dabas, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 32% cheaper than Dabas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Dabas is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$12.89 Ft 4,072

-83.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$37.85 Ft 12.0K

-48.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.26 Ft 2,925

-38.77%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$1.53 Ft 484

18.30%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.41 Ft 445

-45.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.45 Ft 143

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.82 Ft 576

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$1.59 Ft 503

138.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.24 Ft 392

65.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.60 Ft 507

-5.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$2.50 Ft 791

-44.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$3.47 Ft 1,096

-34.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$10.71 Ft 3,383

51.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$7.04 Ft 2,225

-58.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$16.43 Ft 5,190

-42.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.46 Ft 777

8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.39 Ft 755

-54.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.61 Ft 825

-37.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$4.01 Ft 1,267

-63.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.17 Ft 370

9.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.45 Ft 459

-26.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.91 Ft 604

-62.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.55 Ft 174

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$8.05 Ft 2,544

-47.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$4.72 Ft 1,492

287.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.39 Ft 441

17.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.66 Ft 842

9.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$1.32 Ft 416

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$28.57 Ft 9,027

88.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$3.58 Ft 1,131

-67.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.38 Ft 435

-57.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$25.13 Ft 7,939

-90.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.53 Ft 485

-5.23%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$31.2K Ft 9.9M

-32.68%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$37.3K Ft 11.8M

-29.18%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$178 Ft 56.3K

-64.26%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$21.30 Ft 6,729

-39.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$21.74 Ft 6,867

-5.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$43.32 Ft 13.7K

-9.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$18.86 Ft 5,960

-79.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$9.31 Ft 2,940

-29.32%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$448 Ft 141.5K

75.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$7,949 Ft 2.5M

84.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$104 Ft 32.8K

-46.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$52.2 Ft 16.5K

-52.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$101 Ft 31.8K

-6.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$114 Ft 35.9K

-34.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$516 Ft 162.9K

-4.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$429 Ft 135.4K

-32.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$772 Ft 244.0K

15.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$669 Ft 211.4K

-22.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$3,109 Ft 982.4K

-36.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$2,423 Ft 765.7K

-40.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-30.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Dabas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $516 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Dabas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $269 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 46% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,043 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $448 in Dabas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Dabas, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Dabas at $1,362. 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 $932 versus $1,362 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.