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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $551 in Dobrush, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $930 in Dobrush, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,309 in Dobrush, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 56% more than Dobrush, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dobrush are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Dobrush 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿66.0

$9.11 BYN 26.15

-78.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿618

$30.57 BYN 87.7

-39.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.35 BYN 15.36

39.81%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿68.0

$1.75 BYN 5.02

15.43%

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

$0.85 ฿28.57

$0.63 BYN 1.81

34.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.99

$0.45 BYN 1.30

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿72.0

$1.20 BYN 3.46

78.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.09 BYN 6.01

71.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.6

$0.77 BYN 2.21

114.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.8

$0.62 BYN 1.77

153.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.12

$1.18 BYN 3.39

0.85%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.2

$1.37 BYN 3.92

41.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿546

$6.53 BYN 18.75

147.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.20 BYN 12.06

-28.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿369

$7.95 BYN 22.81

37.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.4

$1.11 BYN 3.18

144.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.34

$1.75 BYN 5.01

-33.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$1.84 BYN 5.28

-8.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.1

$2.59 BYN 7.44

-38.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.65

$0.43 BYN 1.24

220.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.54

$0.58 BYN 1.66

106.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.55

$1.33 BYN 3.82

-49.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.77

$0.59 BYN 1.68

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.81 BYN 5.20

156.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿594

$8.62 BYN 24.73

104.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.97 BYN 2.79

91.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.76 BYN 5.04

87.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.75

$0.30 BYN 0.87

193.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿652

$12.77 BYN 36.66

51.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿46.01

$1.35 BYN 3.87

0.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.08

$0.30 BYN 0.86

346.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿277

$5.68 BYN 16.31

44.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.28

$0.74 BYN 2.13

64.86%

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

$21.4K ฿719.8K

$20.3K BYN 58.3K

5.14%

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

$22.5K ฿759.5K

$23.5K BYN 67.5K

-4.27%

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

$70.7 ฿2,382

$54.0 BYN 155

30.97%

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

$14.04 ฿473

$7.58 BYN 21.76

85.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿590

$10.70 BYN 30.72

63.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,421

$30.10 BYN 86.4

40.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿200

$4.48 BYN 12.87

32.14%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$298 BYN 855

3.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿501.5K

$10.1K BYN 29.0K

47.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,880

$50.1 BYN 144

11.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿880

$42.84 BYN 123

-39.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,798

$114 BYN 326

-27.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$96.7 BYN 277

-27.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,054

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.5K

$1,140 BYN 3,272

67.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.5K

$764 BYN 2,192

92.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.77

-66.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dobrush: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Dobrush. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $165 in Dobrush – so Dobrush 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 Dobrush: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 56% more than Dobrush, 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 $827 in Dobrush. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $298 in Dobrush. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $551 in Dobrush, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dobrush costs $551 versus $861 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 Dobrush. 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.