Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Falmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Falmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,171 in Falmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,823 in Falmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,475 in Falmouth, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% cheaper than Falmouth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Falmouth are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Falmouth 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$7.24 JMD 1,146

-72.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$62.8 JMD 9,942

-70.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$8.99 JMD 1,423

-14.91%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$4.23 JMD 669

-54.61%

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

$0.84 ฿26.96

$1.31 JMD 208

-35.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.70 JMD 111

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$2.57 JMD 407

-14.79%

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 678

-61.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.9

$3.46 JMD 548

-53.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.96

$1.56 JMD 247

-26.28%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.1

$3.52 JMD 558

-44.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$11.15 JMD 1,765

42.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.4

$6.18 JMD 978

-49.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$7.70 JMD 1,219

43.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.7

$6.06 JMD 958

-55.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.77

$3.11 JMD 492

-62.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.6

$4.18 JMD 662

-59.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$2.93 JMD 464

-45.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.63

$2.04 JMD 323

-31.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.78

$1.96 JMD 310

-41.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.81

$3.07 JMD 486

-76.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.63

$1.43 JMD 226

-61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$8.74 JMD 1,383

-47.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$11.34 JMD 1,794

66.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.3

$2.80 JMD 444

-35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$3.09 JMD 489

3.88%

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

$1.08 JMD 170

30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.68

$3.15 JMD 498

-58.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$6.34 JMD 1,004

29.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.27

$1.25 JMD 197

-1.60%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

-33.03%

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

$69.9 ฿2,239

$164 JMD 25.9K

-57.32%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$22.25 JMD 3,522

-36.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$50.9 JMD 8,050

-65.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,327

$28.50 JMD 4,510

45.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$13.25 JMD 2,097

-56.68%

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

$299 ฿9,587

$228 JMD 36.1K

31.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿480.9K

$2,437 JMD 385.8K

515.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,756

$26.16 JMD 4,141

109.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿844

$25.30 JMD 4,004

4.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,712

$71.8 JMD 11.4K

17.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,234

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

-8.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$309 JMD 48.9K

38.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,713

$247 JMD 39.0K

-2.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$528 JMD 83.6K

53.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$469 JMD 74.2K

6.37%

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 Falmouth: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $309 in Falmouth. 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 $63 in Falmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $348 – 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 Falmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Falmouth costs about 34% 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 $1,756 in Falmouth. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $63.0 in Falmouth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Falmouth, 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 $1,171 in Falmouth, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $1,171 in Falmouth. 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, Falmouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.