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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $616 in Diadema, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,068 in Diadema, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,519 in Diadema, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 49% more than Diadema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Diadema are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Diadema 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$8.82 R$45.80

-76.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$48.30 R$251

-59.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$8.84 R$45.90

-33.82%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.22 R$11.52

-20.72%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$1.41 R$7.30

-47.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.87 R$4.51

-62.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.89 R$15.03

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$4.18 R$21.70

-7.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.18 R$6.14

61.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$1.91 R$9.94

-12.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.11 R$5.78

21.62%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.63 R$13.67

-18.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$8.58 R$44.57

85.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$4.35 R$22.61

-34.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$10.04 R$52.2

4.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$2.63 R$13.64

-9.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.73 R$8.98

-38.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.48 R$7.71

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.74 R$9.03

-13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.30 R$6.75

-1.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.19 R$6.18

-7.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.89 R$4.62

-22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.77 R$3.97

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.63 R$13.66

62.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$8.75 R$45.42

91.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.62 R$8.42

2.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.53 R$13.16

11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$1.22 R$6.35

-1.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$0.92 R$4.76

-41.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$9.26 R$48.10

-74.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.19 R$6.19

20.17%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$23.5K R$121.8K

-10.16%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$32.2K R$167.1K

-15.67%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$44.48 R$231

45.55%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$14.83 R$77.0

-11.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$17.75 R$92.2

9.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$19.00 R$98.7

107.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$7.47 R$38.81

-11.38%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$424 R$2,201

89.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$7,511 R$39.0K

101.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$53.0 R$275

3.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$55.7 R$289

-54.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$91.1 R$473

0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$81.3 R$422

-8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$1,155 R$5,999

71.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$782 R$4,060

86.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$481 R$2,500

23.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.12

-49.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Diadema: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 23% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $48.00 in Diadema. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $211 in Diadema – so Diadema 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 Diadema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 49% more than Diadema, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $924 in Diadema. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $48.00 in Diadema. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Diadema, where all-in costs run around $616, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Diadema it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Diadema costs $616 versus $920 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 Diadema. 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.