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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $519 in Duma, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $796 in Duma, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,074 in Duma, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 67% more than Duma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Duma are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Duma 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.98 SYP 661

-67.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.51 SYP 3,040

-32.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.49 SYP 606

42.44%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.56 SYP 172

25.00%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.13 SYP 125

-24.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.69 SYP 76.0

-49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.62 SYP 179

31.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.47 SYP 273

51.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.02 SYP 113

67.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.60 SYP 65.9

171.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.70 SYP 188

-32.94%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.86 SYP 206

3.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.01 SYP 332

438.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.72 SYP 853

-59.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.26 SYP 1,244

-3.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.88 SYP 97.0

212.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.72 SYP 190

-29.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.03 SYP 114

57.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.96 SYP 106

65.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.62 SYP 68.0

125.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.66 SYP 72.8

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.38 SYP 41.55

73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.62 SYP 68.9

-14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.02 SYP 334

55.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.94 SYP 656

214.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.02 SYP 112

76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.84 SYP 203

75.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.99 SYP 109

42.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.23 SYP 136

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.38 SYP 705

22.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$3.76 SYP 415

-66.22%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$18.6K SYP 2.1M

14.26%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$21.0K SYP 2.3M

5.71%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$100 SYP 11.1K

-31.08%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.60 SYP 950

63.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$55.2 SYP 6,102

-67.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.02 SYP 334

96.03%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$43.19 SYP 4,773

592.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,854 SYP 204.8K

706.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$29.12 SYP 3,218

87.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$25.61 SYP 2,830

4.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$45.12 SYP 4,986

88.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$56.0 SYP 6,184

26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Duma: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Duma. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $168 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 67% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $778 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Duma. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $519 in Duma, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Duma costs $519 versus $866 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.