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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $682 in Dubasari, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,077 in Dubasari, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,471 in Dubasari, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Dubasari, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Dubasari are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Dubasari 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$8.91 MDL 155

-78.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$36.19 MDL 630

-49.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.39 MDL 129

1.22%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.81 MDL 31.54

11.60%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.99 MDL 17.29

-14.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.69 MDL 11.94

-47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.77 MDL 30.77

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.30 MDL 40.05

56.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.28 MDL 22.37

28.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.53 MDL 9.16

196.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.44 MDL 25.13

-17.36%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.61 MDL 45.36

-25.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$10.48 MDL 183

54.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.50 MDL 95.7

-45.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.83 MDL 154

23.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.85 MDL 14.84

218.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.83 MDL 31.90

-36.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.71 MDL 29.70

-1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.16 MDL 37.60

-25.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.76 MDL 13.30

81.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.55 MDL 9.66

118.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.36 MDL 23.68

-50.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.90 MDL 15.70

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.23 MDL 56.2

43.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$4.59 MDL 79.9

283.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.21 MDL 21.05

53.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.00 MDL 34.89

65.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$2.06 MDL 35.93

-33.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.27 MDL 4.72

396.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.13 MDL 89.4

60.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.41 MDL 24.60

-13.48%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$32.6K MDL 568.3K

-34.58%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$30.5K MDL 531.6K

-26.22%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$171 MDL 2,971

-58.58%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$7.57 MDL 132

85.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$10.73 MDL 187

63.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.73 MDL 135

-23.42%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$383 MDL 6,668

-19.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$7,756 MDL 135.0K

91.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$67.0 MDL 1,167

-16.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$53.5 MDL 931

-51.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$111 MDL 1,936

-25.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$122 MDL 2,129

-42.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

-45.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dubasari: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Dubasari. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $191 in Dubasari – so Dubasari 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 Dubasari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Dubasari, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,023 in Dubasari. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $36.00 in Dubasari. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $682 in Dubasari, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dubasari costs $682 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 Dubasari. 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.