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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $946 in Foca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,406 in Foca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,866 in Foca, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 8% cheaper than Foca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Foca are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Foca 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$7.04 BAM 11.87

-72.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$16.61 BAM 27.98

12.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$8.86 BAM 14.93

-11.74%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.66 BAM 2.80

17.47%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.02 BAM 1.72

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.55 BAM 0.93

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$2.08 BAM 3.50

2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.88 BAM 4.86

29.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.16 BAM 1.95

47.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.16 BAM 1.96

40.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.63 BAM 2.75

-30.06%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$3.03 BAM 5.10

-36.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.38 BAM 15.80

72.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.37 BAM 9.05

-41.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.23 BAM 20.61

-10.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$0.91 BAM 1.54

202.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.59 BAM 2.67

-23.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.95 BAM 3.28

-16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.95 BAM 3.28

-18.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.19 BAM 2.00

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.25 BAM 2.11

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.22 BAM 2.06

-45.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.72 BAM 1.22

-26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.71 BAM 6.26

26.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$8.28 BAM 13.95

125.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.72 BAM 1.21

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.12 BAM 1.90

188.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$1.75 BAM 2.95

-48.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$34.84 BAM 58.7

-44.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.46 BAM 2.46

-3.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.56 BAM 0.94

130.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.08 BAM 15.30

-13.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.54 BAM 2.60

-17.53%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$29.1K BAM 49.0K

-26.77%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$27.1K BAM 45.7K

-18.19%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$174 BAM 293

-60.27%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$18.69 BAM 31.49

-24.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$23.44 BAM 39.50

-23.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$29.75 BAM 50.1

38.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$11.01 BAM 18.54

-36.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.69 BAM 7.90

26.23%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$238 BAM 401

25.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$3,653 BAM 6,154

309.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$75.4 BAM 127

-27.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$36.88 BAM 62.1

-27.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$71.9 BAM 121

18.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$123 BAM 207

-42.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$158 BAM 266

171.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$171 BAM 288

38.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$364 BAM 614

120.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$316 BAM 533

63.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,551 BAM 4,298

-22.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,858 BAM 3,130

-20.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

-0.40%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Foca: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $158 in Foca. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $17.00 in Foca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $207 – making Foca 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 Foca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Foca costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,418 in Foca. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $238 in Foca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Foca – 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $946 in Foca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $946 in Foca. 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, Foca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.