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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $651 in Dubasari, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $988 in Dubasari, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,325 in Dubasari, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Dubasari, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dubasari are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Dubasari 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$8.40 MDL 146

-75.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$30.67 MDL 534

-36.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$10.59 MDL 184

-46.46%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$1.81 MDL 31.46

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.13 MDL 19.74

-31.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.67 MDL 11.68

-47.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.06 MDL 35.86

7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.32 MDL 40.35

63.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.24 MDL 21.65

65.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.51 MDL 8.95

196.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.60 MDL 27.81

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.29 MDL 39.93

-1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$6.78 MDL 118

138.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$4.71 MDL 82.0

-38.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$6.23 MDL 108

51.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$1.07 MDL 18.63

150.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.32 MDL 40.31

-53.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.86 MDL 32.28

-12.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$2.41 MDL 41.91

-39.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.78 MDL 13.62

64.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.50 MDL 8.62

112.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.47 MDL 8.25

53.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.60 MDL 10.43

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.40 MDL 59.2

24.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$4.73 MDL 82.3

286.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.43 MDL 24.86

13.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.06 MDL 35.90

40.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$2.84 MDL 49.47

-58.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.27 MDL 4.73

114.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$5.79 MDL 101

-58.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.52 MDL 26.48

-4.61%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$34.1K MDL 593.8K

-38.43%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$25.4K MDL 441.5K

4.15%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$231 MDL 4,019

-72.44%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.25 MDL 144

56.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$11.45 MDL 199

79.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$11.48 MDL 200

239.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.93 MDL 138

-17.02%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$115 MDL 1,993

584.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$5,283 MDL 91.9K

177.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$45.29 MDL 788

21.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$58.1 MDL 1,011

62.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$52.0 MDL 905

42.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-30.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Dubasari: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Dubasari. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $168 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 43% more than Dubasari, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $977 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $31.00 in Dubasari. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dubasari, where all-in costs run around $651, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Dubasari it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dubasari costs $651 versus $932 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.