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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $893 in Deva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,339 in Deva, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,785 in Deva, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Deva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Deva are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Deva 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$7.30 RON 31.53

-72.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$23.18 RON 100

-21.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$8.08 RON 34.92

-5.32%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$1.86 RON 8.05

3.23%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$1.32 RON 5.68

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$1.11 RON 4.81

-67.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$1.37 RON 5.92

59.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$2.28 RON 9.84

66.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$1.57 RON 6.79

4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$1.14 RON 4.91

42.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.40 RON 6.03

-17.86%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$3.09 RON 13.35

-37.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$8.34 RON 36.02

91.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$5.78 RON 24.95

-46.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$10.65 RON 46.01

3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$0.98 RON 4.25

176.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$1.31 RON 5.65

-9.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$1.52 RON 6.55

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$1.95 RON 8.41

-17.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$0.84 RON 3.65

65.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$0.79 RON 3.43

45.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$0.81 RON 3.49

-12.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.80 RON 3.46

-31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$5.93 RON 25.60

-22.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$7.52 RON 32.48

150.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.07 RON 4.62

70.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.63 RON 7.04

96.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.55 RON 2.39

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$20.10 RON 86.8

-6.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$0.96 RON 4.16

46.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$0.76 RON 3.29

71.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$7.06 RON 30.48

16.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.55 RON 6.68

-20.65%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$27.7K RON 119.8K

-23.64%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$28.2K RON 122.0K

-21.02%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$144 RON 623

-51.54%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$8.82 RON 38.09

59.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$10.01 RON 43.23

76.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$43.37 RON 187

-4.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$19.34 RON 83.5

-65.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$5.75 RON 24.83

-0.17%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$437 RON 1,889

-31.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$6,990 RON 30.2K

114.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$71.7 RON 310

-23.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$16.27 RON 70.3

61.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$74.5 RON 322

13.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$62.7 RON 271

11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$232 RON 1,003

83.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$205 RON 886

17.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$396 RON 1,713

104.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$349 RON 1,509

42.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$6,736 RON 29.1K

-69.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$4,410 RON 19.1K

-65.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$1,075 RON 4,646

-40.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-23.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Deva: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $232 in Deva. 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 68% higher in Deva, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $23 in Deva. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $200 in Deva – so Deva 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 Deva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Deva costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,340 in Deva. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $437 in Deva. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Deva – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $872 in Chiang Mai and $893 in Deva, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $893 in Deva. 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, Deva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.