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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $317 in Damietta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $552 in Damietta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $788 in Damietta, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 172% more than Damietta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Damietta are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Damietta 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.63 E£185

-46.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$13.95 E£712

31.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.01 E£204

86.53%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.78 E£40.07

158.97%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.29 E£14.60

193.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.12 E£6.35

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.22 E£62.5

75.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.97 E£152

20.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.62 E£31.86

166.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.31 E£15.97

406.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.64 E£32.44

85.94%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.44 E£73.3

34.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$2.07 E£106

682.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.32 E£169

-9.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.88 E£453

23.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.48 E£75.5

83.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.54 E£27.39

116.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.38 E£19.51

344.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.36 E£18.49

344.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.37 E£18.99

272.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.25 E£12.85

380.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.21 E£10.72

219.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.19 E£9.95

194.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.96 E£99.9

136.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.89 E£301

199.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.36 E£69.6

36.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.99 E£102

65.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.11 E£5.85

700.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$4.41 E£225

338.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.56 E£28.65

142.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.19 E£9.64

605.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$0.41 E£21.05

1902.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.26 E£13.20

369.23%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$25.4K E£1.3M

-16.05%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$32.0K E£1.6M

-29.69%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$11.15 E£569

533.81%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$5.73 E£293

145.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$6.71 E£342

160.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$19.32 E£986

118.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$6.68 E£341

2.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$2.98 E£152

98.66%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$36.91 E£1,884

735.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$992 E£50.7K

1399.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$17.07 E£871

226.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$26.39 E£1,347

-1.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$97.6 E£4,983

-14.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$20.02 E£1,022

251.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$34.49 E£1,761

1152.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$21.48 E£1,097

1012.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$119 E£6,082

590.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$83.3 E£4,255

514.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$990 E£50.6K

93.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$701 E£35.8K

109.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$129 E£6,575

349.86%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Damietta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $34.49 in Damietta. 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 350% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Damietta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $108 – making Damietta 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 Damietta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 172% more than Damietta, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $475 in Damietta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $36.91 in Damietta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 124% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $317 in Damietta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Damietta costs $317 versus $861 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 Damietta. 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.