Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and East London Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and East London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,051 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,562 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,074 in East London, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than East London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and East London are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, East London 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.53 R 108

-68.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$30.53 R 505

-38.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.47 R 73.9

75.84%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.08 R 34.48

-2.40%

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

$0.80 ฿26.66

$1.01 R 16.64

-20.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$0.86 R 14.22

-59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$2.46 R 40.64

-13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.04 R 50.3

20.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.02 R 16.90

69.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.91 R 15.01

72.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.03

$2.08 R 34.36

-42.31%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$2.05 R 33.89

-3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$9.36 R 155

73.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.14 R 68.4

-26.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$7.47 R 124

44.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.4

$1.59 R 26.23

74.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.98

$2.05 R 33.96

-42.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.38 R 22.79

23.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.46 R 24.15

8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.55

$1.56 R 25.74

-10.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.60

$1.49 R 24.61

-22.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.07

$1.09 R 18.09

-39.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.32

$0.87 R 14.37

-40.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.62 R 43.40

77.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$4.65 R 76.9

282.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$1.73 R 28.55

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.53 R 41.89

32.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$0.68 R 11.19

33.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$21.98 R 364

-15.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$1.14 R 18.90

23.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.74

$0.95 R 15.67

41.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$4.07 R 67.4

99.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.19

$1.27 R 21.08

-3.15%

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

$21.4K ฿715.7K

$37.1K R 613.2K

-42.18%

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

$21.8K ฿728.7K

$22.3K R 368.9K

-2.14%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$196 R 3,243

-63.62%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$29.96 R 496

-53.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$45.04 R 745

-60.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

$34.20 R 566

19.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$1.38 R 22.75

398.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.68 R 60.9

55.43%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$117 R 1,936

163.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.1K

$4,123 R 68.2K

256.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,862

$52.3 R 865

6.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$29.05 R 480

-10.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,832

$108 R 1,794

-21.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,370

$87.2 R 1,442

-18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$261 R 4,315

62.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,095

$296 R 4,902

-18.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$506 R 8,362

57.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$561 R 9,281

-9.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,628 R 26.9K

-63.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-54.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for East London: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $261 in East London. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 174% higher in East London, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in East London. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $185 in East London – so East London 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 East London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

East London costs about 23% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,576 in East London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $117 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 32% cheaper in East London – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,051 in East London, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,051 in East London. 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, East London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.