Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dong Hoi

For one person, living is cheaper in Dong Hoi: $755 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Dong Hoi
Learn more

Dong Hoi Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Dong Hoi

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$755

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Dong Hoi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Dong Hoi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $755 in Dong Hoi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Dong Hoi $755

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,222 in Dong Hoi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Dong Hoi $1,222

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,689 in Dong Hoi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Dong Hoi $1,689

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Dong Hoi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Dong Hoi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Dong Hoi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$1.95 ₫50.5K

14.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$19.05 ₫492.6K

-0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$3.60 ₫93.0K

54.17%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.07 ₫27.6K

56.07%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

$0.34 ₫8,861

88.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$0.31 ₫8,112

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$0.56 ₫14.6K

321.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.28 ₫59.0K

60.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.54 ₫39.8K

26.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$0.85 ₫21.9K

69.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

$1.04 ₫26.9K

27.88%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.55 ₫40.2K

47.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$13.00 ₫336.0K

26.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$3.29 ₫85.0K

-15.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.10 ₫235.2K

2.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.69 ₫69.6K

-12.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

$1.19 ₫30.8K

-18.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.32 ₫34.2K

21.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.59 ₫41.0K

-5.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

$1.18 ₫30.4K

8.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

$1.32 ₫34.1K

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

$1.01 ₫26.0K

-29.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.50 ₫12.8K

-2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$1.55 ₫40.2K

167.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$7.71 ₫199.2K

127.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.87 ₫22.4K

85.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.18 ₫56.3K

27.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

$0.34 ₫8,791

155.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$6.74 ₫174.2K

702.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

$1.09 ₫28.1K

6.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

$0.60 ₫15.6K

-11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$2.48 ₫64.0K

-2.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

$0.93 ₫24.0K

55.91%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

$31.0K ₫801.6M

-32.08%

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

$27.5K ₫711.9M

-2.16%

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

$66.8 ₫1.7M

-6.96%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$6.38 ₫164.9K

90.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$8.17 ₫211.3K

146.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$22.75 ₫588.3K

64.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$7.57 ₫195.8K

-50.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.43 ₫88.6K

89.21%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$160 ₫4.1M

359.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

$14.7K ₫380.1M

0.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

$45.77 ₫1.2M

16.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$27.88 ₫720.7K

-11.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

$103 ₫2.7M

-10.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

$82.1 ₫2.1M

-12.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$408 ₫10.5M

18.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$275 ₫7.1M

12.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$798 ₫20.6M

26.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$615 ₫15.9M

3.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$2,265 ₫58.6M

4.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,220 ₫31.5M

30.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$398 ₫10.3M

48.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dong Hoi: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Dong Hoi

$275 36.4% 11.1% $34

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Dong Hoi

$191 25.3% 18.5% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Dong Hoi

$116 15.4% 7.1% $7.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Dong Hoi

$81 10.8% 13.9% $13

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Dong Hoi

$49 6.5% 36.5% $28

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Dong Hoi

$12 1.6% 80.1% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Dong Hoi

$30 3.9% 41.1% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $408 in Dong Hoi. 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 48% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $19 in Dong Hoi. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $191 in Dong Hoi – so Dong Hoi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇻🇳 Dong Hoi

🕒 Local time

02:23 2:23 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

91,601

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 25,852 VND (100,000 VND = 3.87 USD). 1 EUR = 28,811 VND (100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Dong Hoi 820 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Dong Hoi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dong Hoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Dong Hoi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,132 in Dong Hoi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dong Hoi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $408 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Public transport costs about 88% less in Dong Hoi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $755 in Dong Hoi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Dong Hoi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Dong Hoi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.