Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Damascus

For one person, living is cheaper in Damascus: $869 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $830 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

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

Cost of Living Index in Damascus
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Damascus Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Damascus

🇸🇾 Syria

$869

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Damascus

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 Damascus actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $869 in Damascus, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Damascus $869

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,412 in Damascus, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Damascus $1,412

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,954 in Damascus, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Damascus $1,954

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Damascus, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Damascus are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Damascus 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$10.19 SYP 1,238

-77.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$42.87 SYP 5,209

-55.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$6.87 SYP 835

-18.63%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$3.75 SYP 455

-54.13%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$2.21 SYP 269

-71.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.89 SYP 108

-62.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$2.05 SYP 249

15.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$4.03 SYP 489

-3.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.06 SYP 128

93.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.41 SYP 50.1

241.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.52 SYP 184

-15.79%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$1.62 SYP 197

38.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$3.96 SYP 482

327.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$5.60 SYP 680

-51.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$13.69 SYP 1,664

-31.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.06 SYP 129

126.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.37 SYP 166

-26.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.15 SYP 139

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.05 SYP 128

44.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.79 SYP 96.2

62.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$0.79 SYP 96.5

40.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.40 SYP 49.16

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.62 SYP 75.2

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$2.81 SYP 342

54.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$6.09 SYP 740

191.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.06 SYP 128

53.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.84 SYP 345

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.23 SYP 28.02

269.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$9.85 SYP 1,198

447.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.02 SYP 124

14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.48 SYP 179

-61.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$7.72 SYP 938

-69.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$3.70 SYP 450

-60.81%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$14.8K SYP 1.8M

38.24%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$19.5K SYP 2.4M

35.93%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$138 SYP 16.8K

-54.94%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$9.86 SYP 1,198

24.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$45.41 SYP 5,518

-56.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$27.67 SYP 3,363

37.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$8.68 SYP 1,055

-56.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$5.56 SYP 675

20.68%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$66.4 SYP 8,068

1100.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$1,758 SYP 213.6K

743.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$28.98 SYP 3,522

83.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$40.38 SYP 4,907

-37.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$59.4 SYP 7,215

54.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$59.2 SYP 7,197

24.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$525 SYP 63.8K

-11.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$188 SYP 22.8K

62.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$834 SYP 101.3K

9.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$471 SYP 57.3K

17.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$1,700 SYP 206.6K

12.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$607 SYP 73.8K

136.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$72.9 SYP 8,855

716.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.25

-60.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Damascus: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Damascus

$188 21.6% 38.4% $117

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Damascus

$168 19.3% 29.5% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Damascus

$85 9.7% 22.8% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Damascus

$194 22.3% 105% $99

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Damascus

$178 20.5% 125% $99

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Damascus

$19 2.2% 68.7% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Damascus

$39 4.5% 24.4% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $525 in Damascus. 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 717% 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 $43.00 in Damascus. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Damascus – so Damascus wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇾 Damascus

🕒 Local time

20:57 8:57 PM

16:57 4:57 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,414,913 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Syrian Pound SYP £

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD

1,000 SYP = 7.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SYP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Syrian Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 122 SYP (1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 137 SYP (1,000 SYP = 7.32 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Damascus 6,370 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Damascus

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 Damascus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Damascus, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,304 in Damascus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $66.4 in Damascus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 Damascus, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Damascus 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. Damascus costs $869 versus $938 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 Damascus. 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.