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 $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $894 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,423 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,952 in Duncans, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% 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 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$7.38 JMD 1,168

-72.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$61.7 JMD 9,765

-70.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$8.53 JMD 1,350

-10.32%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$4.38 JMD 693

-56.16%

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

$0.84 ฿26.96

$1.36 JMD 215

-38.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.74 JMD 118

-51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$2.47 JMD 391

-11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$3.11 JMD 492

21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$4.28 JMD 677

-61.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.9

$3.63 JMD 574

-55.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.96

$1.54 JMD 244

-25.32%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.1

$3.46 JMD 548

-43.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$10.88 JMD 1,721

46.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.4

$6.33 JMD 1,003

-51.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$7.76 JMD 1,228

42.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.7

$6.04 JMD 956

-55.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.77

$3.09 JMD 488

-61.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.6

$4.18 JMD 662

-59.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$3.07 JMD 486

-47.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.63

$2.10 JMD 333

-33.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.78

$2.02 JMD 320

-43.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.81

$3.11 JMD 492

-77.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.63

$1.44 JMD 229

-61.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$9.00 JMD 1,424

-49.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$11.48 JMD 1,817

64.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.3

$2.90 JMD 459

-37.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$3.04 JMD 481

5.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿605

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.27

$1.07 JMD 170

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.68

$3.23 JMD 511

-59.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$6.28 JMD 993

30.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.27

$1.23 JMD 195

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

$21.2K ฿678.5K

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

-50.82%

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

$22.3K ฿714.9K

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-34.73%

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

$69.9 ฿2,239

$163 JMD 25.8K

-57.07%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$22.03 JMD 3,487

-36.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$50.7 JMD 8,016

-65.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,327

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$13.02 JMD 2,061

-55.91%

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

$299 ฿9,587

$229 JMD 36.3K

30.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿480.9K

$2,435 JMD 385.3K

516.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,756

$26.13 JMD 4,135

109.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿844

$25.25 JMD 3,996

4.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,712

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

19.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,234

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

-8.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,713

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Duncans: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $0 in Duncans. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $62 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $351 – 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 2% 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,341 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $62.0 in Duncans. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $872 in Chiang Mai and $894 in Duncans, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $894 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.