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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $521 in Duma, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $821 in Duma, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,122 in Duma, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Duma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Duma are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Duma 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$5.90 SYP 717

-66.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$27.28 SYP 3,315

-32.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.34 SYP 648

40.07%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.57 SYP 190

28.66%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.17 SYP 142

-27.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.73 SYP 88.8

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.65 SYP 200

29.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.53 SYP 307

41.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.98 SYP 119

68.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.59 SYP 71.7

166.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.75 SYP 212

-32.00%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.92 SYP 233

1.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$3.14 SYP 382

415.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.79 SYP 946

-61.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.49 SYP 1,396

-4.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.86 SYP 104

215.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.72 SYP 209

-31.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.04 SYP 126

62.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.95 SYP 116

68.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.61 SYP 74.5

126.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.66 SYP 80.5

81.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.40 SYP 49.11

67.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.62 SYP 75.1

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.08 SYP 374

50.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.13 SYP 988

116.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.98 SYP 119

89.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.85 SYP 225

78.38%

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

$0.99 SYP 120

37.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.22 SYP 149

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.62 SYP 805

24.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$3.77 SYP 458

-67.64%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

14.58%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$21.1K SYP 2.6M

6.70%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$103 SYP 12.5K

-31.08%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.58 SYP 1,043

63.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$54.8 SYP 6,661

-68.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.09 SYP 375

91.59%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$42.91 SYP 5,215

619.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$1,824 SYP 221.7K

715.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$29.66 SYP 3,605

88.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$25.49 SYP 3,098

2.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$44.19 SYP 5,370

87.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$55.6 SYP 6,753

26.78%

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 %)

13.75

-63.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Duma: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Duma. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $174 in Duma – so Duma 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 Duma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Duma, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $782 in Duma. 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 $27.00 in Duma. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $521 in Duma, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Duma costs $521 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 Duma. 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.