Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Fier

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $977 in Fier, rent and utilities included – about $490 less a year. The total is higher in Fier despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Fier
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Fier Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Fier

🇦🇱 Albania

$977

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Fier actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $977 in Fier, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Fier $977

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,544 in Fier, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Fier $1,544

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,112 in Fier, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Fier $2,112

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Fier, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Fier are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Fier 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$10.10 ALL 823

-77.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$37.58 ALL 3,060

-49.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$3.74 ALL 305

48.40%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$2.25 ALL 184

-25.78%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$2.21 ALL 180

-71.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$0.98 ALL 80.1

-68.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.88 ALL 153

25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$3.37 ALL 275

8.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$2.17 ALL 177

-10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$1.20 ALL 97.7

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$2.19 ALL 178

-39.27%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$3.87 ALL 315

-41.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$12.96 ALL 1,056

26.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$8.69 ALL 708

-68.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$13.43 ALL 1,094

-30.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$1.39 ALL 113

69.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$2.52 ALL 205

-61.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$1.74 ALL 142

-8.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.44 ALL 117

4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$0.94 ALL 76.9

36.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$1.03 ALL 83.6

6.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$1.02 ALL 83.2

-30.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$0.64 ALL 52.4

-23.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.69 ALL 382

-11.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$10.56 ALL 860

65.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$1.50 ALL 122

7.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$2.12 ALL 172

31.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$0.51 ALL 41.66

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

$20.11 ALL 1,638

168.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$2.54 ALL 206

-54.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$1.25 ALL 102

-57.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$18.24 ALL 1,485

-86.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$2.06 ALL 168

-29.61%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$18.7K ALL 1.5M

12.63%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$29.8K ALL 2.4M

-9.53%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$97.5 ALL 7,938

-36.22%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$18.63 ALL 1,518

-34.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$18.49 ALL 1,506

8.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$58.3 ALL 4,748

-36.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$9.73 ALL 792

-33.30%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$251 ALL 20.4K

193.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$8,281 ALL 674.4K

78.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$48.52 ALL 3,952

10.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$48.15 ALL 3,921

-48.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$98.3 ALL 8,004

-6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$114 ALL 9,314

-37.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$235 ALL 19.1K

105.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$180 ALL 14.7K

71.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$412 ALL 33.6K

144.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$319 ALL 25.9K

98.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$1,245 ALL 101.4K

89.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$986 ALL 80.3K

61.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$557 ALL 45.3K

5.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.16

7.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Fier: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Fier

$180 18.4% 41.8% $129

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Fier

$266 27.3% 13.6% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Fier

$139 14.3% 28.1% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Fier

$135 13.8% 42.5% $40

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Fier

$148 15.2% 90.8% $70

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Fier

$31 3.2% 49.6% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Fier

$78 8% 54.6% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $235 in Fier. 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 6% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $38 in Fier. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $266 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇱 Fier

🕒 Local time

11:04 11:04 AM

05:04 5:04 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

55,845

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

100 ALL = 1.23 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 81.44 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.66 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Fier 7,790 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Fier

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 Fier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fier costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,465 in Fier. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fier, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $235 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $251 in Fier. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Fier, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $977 in Fier. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $977 in Fier. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.