Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dong Xoai

For one person, living is cheaper in Dong Xoai: $784 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Dong Xoai
Learn more

Dong Xoai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Dong Xoai

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$784

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Xoai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $784 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Dong Xoai $784

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,254 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Dong Xoai $1,254

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,724 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Dong Xoai $1,724

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Dong Xoai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Dong Xoai are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Dong Xoai 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$2.04 ₫52.7K

9.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$19.01 ₫491.0K

-0.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$4.39 ₫113.4K

26.42%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.71 ₫44.3K

-2.34%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.54 ₫14.1K

18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.33 ₫8,595

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$0.86 ₫22.3K

174.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.50 ₫38.8K

144.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.55 ₫40.1K

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.07 ₫27.6K

34.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$1.04 ₫26.8K

27.88%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.49 ₫38.5K

53.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$12.30 ₫317.7K

33.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.81 ₫98.5K

-27.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.67 ₫249.9K

-3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.99 ₫77.2K

-21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.10 ₫28.4K

-11.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.38 ₫35.6K

15.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.22 ₫31.6K

22.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$1.00 ₫25.9K

28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$1.13 ₫29.2K

-2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.67 ₫17.2K

5.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.57 ₫14.6K

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$1.39 ₫36.0K

197.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$11.60 ₫299.6K

51.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.90 ₫23.3K

78.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.66 ₫42.8K

67.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.34 ₫8,886

155.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$6.52 ₫168.5K

729.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.76 ₫19.5K

52.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.60 ₫15.5K

-11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$2.52 ₫65.2K

-3.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.93 ₫24.1K

55.91%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$31.3K ₫807.6M

-32.64%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$28.4K ₫734.8M

-5.28%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$78.3 ₫2.0M

-20.63%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$5.93 ₫153.3K

105.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$8.75 ₫226.0K

129.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$23.21 ₫599.5K

60.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$7.54 ₫194.7K

-50.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.33 ₫86.1K

94.89%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$191 ₫4.9M

285.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$13.9K ₫358.4M

6.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$46.29 ₫1.2M

15.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$26.86 ₫693.9K

-8.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$83.4 ₫2.2M

9.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$78.6 ₫2.0M

-8.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$413 ₫10.7M

16.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$282 ₫7.3M

9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$798 ₫20.6M

26.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$625 ₫16.2M

1.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,258 ₫58.3M

4.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,202 ₫31.0M

32.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.28

-32.73%

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 Xoai: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Dong Xoai

$282 36% 8.6% $27

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Dong Xoai

$200 25.6% 14.6% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Dong Xoai

$106 13.5% 2.6% $2.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Dong Xoai

$93 11.9% 1.5% $1.4

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Dong Xoai

$61 7.8% 21.5% $17

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Dong Xoai

$12 1.5% 81% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Dong Xoai

$30 3.8% 40.6% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $413 in Dong Xoai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $19 in Dong Xoai. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $200 in Dong Xoai – so Dong Xoai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇻🇳 Dong Xoai

🕒 Local time

23:09 11:09 PM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

168,000

💱 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 = 3.48 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 25,832 VND (100,000 VND = 3.87 USD). 1 EUR = 28,750 VND (100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Dong Xoai 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Dong Xoai

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 Xoai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Dong Xoai, 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 $1,176 in Dong Xoai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dong Xoai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $413 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

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

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $784 in Dong Xoai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

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.