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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $900 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,459 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,018 in Duncans, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 6% cheaper than Duncans, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Duncans are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Duncans 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.2

$7.42 JMD 1,168

-72.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿629

$62.4 JMD 9,821

-70.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿263

$8.78 JMD 1,383

-10.71%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.7

$4.30 JMD 678

-55.12%

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

$0.83 ฿27.92

$1.30 JMD 205

-36.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.77

$0.70 JMD 111

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.6

$2.56 JMD 403

-13.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.09 JMD 486

22.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.3

$4.19 JMD 659

-60.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.1

$3.59 JMD 566

-56.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$1.62 JMD 256

-27.16%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.7

$3.43 JMD 540

-41.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿543

$11.25 JMD 1,772

43.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$6.32 JMD 996

-52.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿364

$7.56 JMD 1,190

43.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.0

$5.88 JMD 926

-54.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.03

$3.09 JMD 486

-60.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.6

$4.18 JMD 659

-61.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.3

$3.06 JMD 481

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$2.11 JMD 332

-36.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.75

$2.03 JMD 319

-40.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.57

$3.13 JMD 492

-77.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.65

$1.51 JMD 237

-64.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿157

$8.53 JMD 1,344

-45.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿595

$11.47 JMD 1,806

54.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.0

$2.75 JMD 433

-32.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$3.11 JMD 490

3.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.27

$1.07 JMD 169

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.40

$3.22 JMD 507

-59.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$6.43 JMD 1,013

21.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.47

$1.23 JMD 193

4.88%

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

$21.8K ฿731.4K

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

-49.70%

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

$21.7K ฿728.8K

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-34.93%

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

$70.0 ฿2,351

$161 JMD 25.3K

-56.53%

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

$14.19 ฿477

$21.75 JMD 3,425

-34.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿585

$51.3 JMD 8,082

-66.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,399

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿194

$13.28 JMD 2,092

-56.48%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$222 JMD 35.0K

34.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿487.9K

$2,499 JMD 393.6K

481.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,860

$25.79 JMD 4,062

114.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿884

$25.46 JMD 4,010

3.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,851

$70.5 JMD 11.1K

20.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,368

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

-8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,898

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.7K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Duncans: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $62.0 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $350 – 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 6% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,349 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 $62.0 in Duncans. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $847 in Chiang Mai and $900 in Duncans, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $900 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.