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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $875 in Deva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,333 in Deva, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,792 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 36% lower, Deva 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$7.46 RON 34.22

-73.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$23.11 RON 106

-20.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.22 RON 37.73

-9.00%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.98 RON 9.07

2.02%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.32 RON 6.05

-35.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.11 RON 5.10

-67.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.40 RON 6.44

52.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.26 RON 10.39

58.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.58 RON 7.24

4.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.13 RON 5.19

38.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.42 RON 6.51

-16.20%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.03 RON 13.90

-35.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$8.39 RON 38.52

92.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.60 RON 25.69

-46.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.29 RON 47.23

6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.02 RON 4.70

165.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.30 RON 5.97

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.47 RON 6.76

14.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.90 RON 8.73

-15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.85 RON 3.90

62.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.78 RON 3.60

53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.80 RON 3.69

-16.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.79 RON 3.61

-29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.88 RON 26.98

-21.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.53 RON 34.56

134.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.09 RON 4.98

70.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.61 RON 7.39

104.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.56 RON 2.58

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$19.77 RON 90.8

-2.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.95 RON 4.34

43.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.76 RON 3.51

76.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.08 RON 32.51

15.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.56 RON 7.15

-21.79%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$28.1K RON 129.2K

-24.14%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$28.4K RON 130.2K

-20.59%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$144 RON 661

-50.90%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.81 RON 40.42

59.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$9.75 RON 44.74

79.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$42.66 RON 196

-1.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$19.22 RON 88.3

-64.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.66 RON 25.99

4.59%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$430 RON 1,972

-28.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,868 RON 31.5K

116.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$72.0 RON 331

-22.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$16.26 RON 74.6

60.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$72.5 RON 333

14.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$62.7 RON 288

12.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$230 RON 1,058

87.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$203 RON 930

17.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$396 RON 1,819

107.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$354 RON 1,623

44.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$4,967 RON 22.8K

-61.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$3,561 RON 16.3K

-58.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,174 RON 5,387

-50.63%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Deva: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $230 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 103% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Deva. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $198 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,312 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $430 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $875 in Deva, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $875 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.