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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $588 in Danli, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $963 in Danli, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,339 in Danli, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Danli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Danli are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Danli 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.6

$5.78 HNL 155

-64.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿633

$38.10 HNL 1,019

-50.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$7.48 HNL 200

4.81%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.1

$2.28 HNL 60.9

-15.35%

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

$0.83 ฿28.10

$0.94 HNL 25.22

-11.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.84

$1.18 HNL 31.49

-70.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿75.1

$1.12 HNL 29.91

98.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$2.62 HNL 70.0

44.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.6

$1.46 HNL 39.07

13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$2.16 HNL 57.9

-28.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.93

$1.27 HNL 34.06

-7.09%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.1

$2.04 HNL 54.7

-1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿546

$6.08 HNL 163

165.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$3.83 HNL 102

-20.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$7.77 HNL 208

39.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.6

$2.88 HNL 76.9

-6.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.28

$1.47 HNL 39.26

-17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿55.0

$1.44 HNL 38.48

13.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.7

$1.59 HNL 42.44

-3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.26

$1.66 HNL 44.48

-19.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿41.00

$1.41 HNL 37.83

-14.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.72

$0.90 HNL 24.08

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.76

$1.63 HNL 43.61

-67.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$2.55 HNL 68.3

83.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿599

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.4

$1.29 HNL 34.39

43.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿109

$1.87 HNL 50.0

71.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.12

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.57

$4.21 HNL 112

-66.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.74

$1.08 HNL 28.88

19.44%

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

$21.8K ฿736.0K

$19.4K HNL 518.4K

12.28%

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

$21.7K ฿733.4K

$19.0K HNL 508.8K

14.01%

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

$70.0 ฿2,366

$82.3 HNL 2,201

-14.98%

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

$14.19 ฿480

$8.85 HNL 237

60.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿589

$41.29 HNL 1,104

-57.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,408

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$5.82 HNL 156

-0.69%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$247 HNL 6,605

21.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿491.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,872

$46.19 HNL 1,235

19.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿890

$36.30 HNL 971

-27.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,868

$108 HNL 2,886

-21.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,383

$101 HNL 2,696

-30.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,947

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Danli: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Danli. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Danli – so Danli 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 Danli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Danli, 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $882 in Danli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in Danli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $847 in Chiang Mai and $588 in Danli, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Danli costs $588 versus $847 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 Danli. 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.