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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $880 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,432 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,985 in Duncans, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Duncans, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$7.56 JMD 1,189

-73.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$63.2 JMD 9,945

-70.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$8.58 JMD 1,349

-9.67%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$4.32 JMD 680

-55.56%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$1.30 JMD 205

-39.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.75 JMD 118

-52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$2.43 JMD 382

-9.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.16 JMD 498

15.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$4.34 JMD 683

-61.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$3.48 JMD 547

-53.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$1.63 JMD 257

-26.99%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$3.59 JMD 564

-44.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$11.12 JMD 1,748

43.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$6.52 JMD 1,025

-53.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$7.49 JMD 1,177

44.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$6.09 JMD 959

-54.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$3.14 JMD 494

-62.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$4.18 JMD 657

-60.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$3.04 JMD 478

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$2.04 JMD 321

-32.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$1.94 JMD 305

-38.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$2.99 JMD 470

-76.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.49 JMD 234

-62.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$8.66 JMD 1,362

-47.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$11.33 JMD 1,783

46.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$2.87 JMD 451

-36.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$3.17 JMD 498

0.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.07 JMD 168

27.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$3.09 JMD 486

-56.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$6.44 JMD 1,013

21.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$1.29 JMD 203

-4.65%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

-48.65%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

-31.68%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$163 JMD 25.6K

-56.65%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$22.31 JMD 3,509

-38.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$50.5 JMD 7,942

-65.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$12.92 JMD 2,032

-55.34%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$225 JMD 35.4K

36.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$2,464 JMD 387.5K

493.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$26.26 JMD 4,130

112.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$25.90 JMD 4,074

1.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

20.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

-3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Duncans: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $63.0 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $352 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Duncans: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duncans costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,319 in Duncans. 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 $63.0 in Duncans. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Duncans, 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $880 in Duncans, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $880 in Duncans. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Duncans makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.