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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,050 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,731 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,411 in Duncans, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Duncans, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Duncans are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Duncans 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$16.03 JMD 2,518

-86.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

-74.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$8.82 JMD 1,385

-34.35%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$5.21 JMD 819

-64.88%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.25 JMD 196

-37.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.68 JMD 107

-54.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.17 JMD 341

7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.09 JMD 486

19.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$4.14 JMD 650

-50.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.68 JMD 578

-56.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.65 JMD 260

-13.94%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.47 JMD 544

-37.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$11.35 JMD 1,782

40.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.16 JMD 967

-50.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.14 JMD 1,592

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$6.19 JMD 972

-57.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$3.96 JMD 622

-72.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$7.42 JMD 1,165

-78.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.10 JMD 488

-50.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$3.29 JMD 517

-62.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.69 JMD 422

-57.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$3.05 JMD 479

-75.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.44 JMD 227

-65.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$9.50 JMD 1,492

-54.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.16 JMD 1,753

61.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.85 JMD 447

-40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.09 JMD 643

-29.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.23 JMD 193

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$3.07 JMD 483

-82.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$6.41 JMD 1,007

-62.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.41 JMD 221

2.13%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$44.9K JMD 7.1M

-52.82%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

-16.28%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$177 JMD 27.8K

-63.35%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$29.71 JMD 4,666

-55.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$52.2 JMD 8,196

-60.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$13.21 JMD 2,075

-49.21%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$363 JMD 57.0K

116.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$8,328 JMD 1.3M

81.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$23.73 JMD 3,727

136.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$31.30 JMD 4,916

-20.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

19.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$104 JMD 16.3K

-27.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Duncans: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $77.0 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $383 – 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 11% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,576 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $77.0 in Duncans. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Duncans, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Duncans at $1,050. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Duncans it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,050 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.