Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Erdenet

For one person, living is cheaper in Erdenet: $376 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Erdenet

🇲🇳 Mongolia

$376

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Erdenet

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Erdenet actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $376 in Erdenet, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Erdenet $376

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $621 in Erdenet, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Erdenet $621

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $866 in Erdenet, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Erdenet $866

Chiang Mai costs about 149% more than Erdenet, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Erdenet are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Erdenet 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$4.20 MNT 15.1K

-46.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$27.73 MNT 99.8K

-31.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$4.10 MNT 14.7K

35.37%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.27 MNT 8,180

-26.43%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.61 MNT 2,184

4.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.44 MNT 1,581

-29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.64 MNT 5,886

43.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.65 MNT 5,949

121.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.03 MNT 3,702

89.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.91 MNT 3,266

58.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$2.75 MNT 9,902

-51.64%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.04 MNT 7,346

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$7.07 MNT 25.4K

132.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$7.06 MNT 25.4K

-60.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$4.35 MNT 15.7K

114.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.25 MNT 8,095

4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.66 MNT 5,962

-41.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.64 MNT 5,895

-2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.36 MNT 4,885

10.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$1.43 MNT 5,135

-10.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.80 MNT 2,869

37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.37 MNT 4,926

-48.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.92 MNT 3,326

-46.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.83 MNT 10.2K

46.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$5.41 MNT 19.5K

223.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.71 MNT 6,160

-5.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.68 MNT 6,047

65.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.15 MNT 537

480.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$19.42 MNT 69.9K

178.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.66 MNT 2,377

75.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.44 MNT 1,566

20.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$0.76 MNT 2,737

90.79%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$59.5 MNT 214.0K

4.54%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$2.72 MNT 9,802

347.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$14.04 MNT 50.5K

43.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$276 MNT 994.5K

166.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$2,461 MNT 8.9M

499.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$227 MNT 815.6K

160.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Erdenet: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Erdenet

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Erdenet

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Erdenet

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Erdenet

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Erdenet

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Erdenet

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Erdenet

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 2.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $28 in Erdenet. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Erdenet – so Erdenet wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇳 Erdenet

🕒 Local time

00:36 12:36 AM

01:36 1:36 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

86,866

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Mongolian Tögrög MNT ₮

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 MNT = 2.78 USD

10,000 MNT = 2.49 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MNT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Mongolian Tögrög exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,599 MNT (10,000 MNT = 2.78 USD). 1 EUR = 4,016 MNT (10,000 MNT = 2.49 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Erdenet 3,390 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Erdenet

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Erdenet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 149% more than Erdenet, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $564 in Erdenet. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $276 in Erdenet. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $376 in Erdenet, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $376 in Erdenet to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Erdenet. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.