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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $550 in Dobrush, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $907 in Dobrush, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,264 in Dobrush, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than Dobrush, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dobrush are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Dobrush 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$9.04 BYN 25.32

-78.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$30.85 BYN 86.4

-39.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.42 BYN 15.17

44.28%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$1.67 BYN 4.69

16.77%

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

$0.85 ฿27.88

$0.61 BYN 1.71

39.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.63

$0.45 BYN 1.26

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.20 BYN 3.36

77.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.17 BYN 6.06

71.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$0.75 BYN 2.09

128.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$0.56 BYN 1.58

191.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.30

$1.17 BYN 3.28

-2.56%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$1.35 BYN 3.77

42.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$6.39 BYN 17.88

153.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.13 BYN 11.55

-24.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$8.01 BYN 22.43

36.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.3

$1.12 BYN 3.14

145.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.68

$1.71 BYN 4.78

-29.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.85 BYN 5.19

-12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.0

$2.53 BYN 7.08

-37.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.89

$0.44 BYN 1.23

218.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.32

$0.61 BYN 1.71

91.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.69

$1.34 BYN 3.75

-50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.29

$0.60 BYN 1.67

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$1.85 BYN 5.19

153.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$8.86 BYN 24.80

110.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$0.93 BYN 2.61

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.82 BYN 5.10

77.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.37

$0.28 BYN 0.77

221.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$12.63 BYN 35.38

52.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.10

$1.39 BYN 3.90

1.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.29

$0.30 BYN 0.84

330.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$5.77 BYN 16.17

35.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.75

$0.78 BYN 2.19

62.82%

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

$21.3K ฿697.7K

$20.3K BYN 56.9K

4.75%

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

$22.2K ฿728.3K

$24.3K BYN 67.9K

-8.46%

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

$69.1 ฿2,265

$53.5 BYN 150

29.13%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$7.34 BYN 20.55

91.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿590

$10.37 BYN 29.05

73.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,346

$29.75 BYN 83.3

38.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$4.58 BYN 12.82

29.26%

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

$299 ฿9,805

$299 BYN 838

-0.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.3K

$10.2K BYN 28.5K

47.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,794

$49.88 BYN 140

9.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$43.18 BYN 121

-38.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,787

$113 BYN 317

-24.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,315

$96.6 BYN 271

-26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,782

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.7K

$1,187 BYN 3,323

66.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$874 BYN 2,447

68.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dobrush: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Dobrush. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $164 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 58% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $825 in Dobrush. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $299 in Dobrush. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $550 in Dobrush, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dobrush costs $550 versus $866 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.