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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $703 in Fiji, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,170 in Fiji, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,638 in Fiji, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Fiji, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Fiji are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Fiji 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$4.48 FJD 9.82

-53.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$33.10 FJD 72.5

-40.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$6.65 FJD 14.57

-12.93%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.58 FJD 5.65

-29.07%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.40 FJD 3.06

-44.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.01 FJD 2.21

-69.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$4.05 FJD 8.88

-42.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$4.00 FJD 8.76

-7.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.29 FJD 2.83

57.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.26 FJD 0.57

515.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.93 FJD 2.04

52.69%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.23 FJD 7.07

-32.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$11.05 FJD 24.21

43.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$5.57 FJD 12.21

-44.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.40 FJD 3.07

87.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.93 FJD 2.04

18.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.78 FJD 3.90

-8.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.35 FJD 2.96

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.70 FJD 1.53

77.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.70 FJD 1.54

61.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.87 FJD 1.91

-14.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.52 FJD 1.15

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$11.60 FJD 25.41

-63.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$6.29 FJD 13.79

185.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$4.21 FJD 9.22

-59.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.03 FJD 8.83

-28.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.92 FJD 2.02

2.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.16 FJD 2.54

6.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.33 FJD 2.92

8.27%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$46.7K FJD 102.2K

-54.58%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$53.8 FJD 118

20.69%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$13.92 FJD 30.50

-4.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$18.27 FJD 40.03

14.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$23.17 FJD 50.8

74.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$4.69 FJD 10.27

-15.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.14 FJD 9.07

62.08%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$45.19 FJD 99.0

1641.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$20.12 FJD 44.08

179.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$30.23 FJD 66.2

206.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$686 FJD 1,504

-29.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$276 FJD 606

3.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,142 FJD 2,501

-20.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$617 FJD 1,353

-14.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,317 FJD 2,885

50.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,337 FJD 2,929

8.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$557 FJD 1,220

8.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-7.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Fiji: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $686 in Fiji. 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 9% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Fiji. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $175 in Fiji – so Fiji 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 Fiji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Fiji, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,055 in Fiji. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fiji, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $33.00 in Fiji. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Fiji, where all-in costs run around $703, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Fiji it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fiji costs $703 versus $950 in Chiang Mai. 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 Fiji. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.