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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $315 in Damietta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $548 in Damietta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $782 in Damietta, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 175% more than Damietta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Damietta are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Damietta 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.55 E£184

-45.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$13.56 E£704

37.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$4.03 E£209

94.04%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.74 E£38.28

163.51%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.29 E£15.00

193.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.11 E£5.55

218.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.17 E£60.7

82.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.04 E£158

22.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.62 E£32.28

175.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.29 E£14.89

462.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.69 E£35.91

65.22%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.43 E£74.3

34.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$2.09 E£109

675.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.21 E£167

-2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.68 E£450

25.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.43 E£74.3

92.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.54 E£28.23

124.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.38 E£19.84

326.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.40 E£20.54

297.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.38 E£19.50

268.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.23 E£11.94

408.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.17 E£8.93

288.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.21 E£10.94

152.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.02 E£105

132.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$5.62 E£292

232.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.37 E£70.9

31.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.92 E£99.8

68.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.10 E£5.22

800.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$4.26 E£221

350.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.51 E£26.66

176.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.23 E£11.80

460.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.38 E£19.95

1963.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.28 E£14.64

353.57%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$24.7K E£1.3M

-13.92%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$32.2K E£1.7M

-30.96%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$11.53 E£599

499.05%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$5.56 E£288

153.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$6.77 E£352

165.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$18.72 E£972

119.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.55 E£340

6.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.91 E£151

103.44%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$36.38 E£1,888

721.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$978 E£50.7K

1429.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$16.78 E£871

225.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$27.09 E£1,406

-1.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$100 E£5,197

-15.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$19.59 E£1,017

260.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$34.06 E£1,768

1157.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$22.14 E£1,149

972.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$117 E£6,091

582.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$84.6 E£4,391

509.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$943 E£48.9K

109.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$671 E£34.8K

119.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$126 E£6,522

391.37%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Damietta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $34.06 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 391% 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 $14.00 in Damietta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $107 – 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 175% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $472 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $36.38 in Damietta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 131% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $315 in Damietta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Damietta costs $315 versus $866 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.