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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $650 in Duma, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,027 in Duma, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,404 in Duma, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Duma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$10.11 SYP 1,228

-79.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$44.95 SYP 5,461

-56.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.82 SYP 829

-16.86%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.63 SYP 441

-50.14%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.28 SYP 277

-66.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.84 SYP 103

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.88 SYP 229

17.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.98 SYP 362

27.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.06 SYP 129

93.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.41 SYP 50.2

268.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.64 SYP 200

-14.63%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.57 SYP 191

43.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$3.98 SYP 483

306.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$5.63 SYP 684

-48.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$13.62 SYP 1,655

-30.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.07 SYP 130

150.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.41 SYP 171

-22.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.15 SYP 139

40.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.05 SYP 128

39.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.79 SYP 95.8

62.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.79 SYP 96.6

34.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.44 SYP 53.4

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.66 SYP 80.2

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.80 SYP 341

51.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.11 SYP 742

199.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.09 SYP 133

49.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.83 SYP 344

2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.01 SYP 123

15.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.49 SYP 182

-61.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$7.82 SYP 950

-69.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$3.67 SYP 446

-60.49%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$15.1K SYP 1.8M

39.11%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

38.90%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$141 SYP 17.1K

-54.85%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$9.38 SYP 1,139

37.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$45.81 SYP 5,566

-55.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.46 SYP 664

20.51%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$65.5 SYP 7,959

1096.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$1,790 SYP 217.5K

719.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$29.12 SYP 3,538

89.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$40.26 SYP 4,891

-38.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$59.6 SYP 7,238

58.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$57.2 SYP 6,949

29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.25

-60.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Duma: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Duma. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $169 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 43% more than Duma, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $975 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $45.00 in Duma. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Duma, where all-in costs run around $650, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Duma 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. Duma costs $650 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 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.