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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $921 in Foca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,387 in Foca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,853 in Foca, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 7% cheaper than Foca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Foca are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Foca 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$6.98 BAM 11.96

-71.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$16.76 BAM 28.70

9.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.97 BAM 15.37

-16.61%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.57 BAM 2.70

28.66%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.98 BAM 1.68

-13.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.57 BAM 0.97

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.01 BAM 3.44

6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.79 BAM 4.77

28.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.20 BAM 2.05

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.19 BAM 2.04

31.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.57 BAM 2.69

-24.20%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.96 BAM 5.06

-34.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.60 BAM 16.44

68.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.24 BAM 8.97

-42.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.92 BAM 20.42

-8.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.84 BAM 1.43

222.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.65 BAM 2.83

-29.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.86 BAM 3.18

-9.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.95 BAM 3.34

-17.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.19 BAM 2.04

15.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.31 BAM 2.24

-8.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.22 BAM 2.09

-45.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.76 BAM 1.31

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.68 BAM 6.30

26.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.47 BAM 14.51

108.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.70 BAM 1.19

165.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.08 BAM 1.85

205.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.85 BAM 3.16

-52.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$35.83 BAM 61.4

-46.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.48 BAM 2.54

-8.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.52 BAM 0.90

157.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$9.06 BAM 15.52

-9.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.52 BAM 2.60

-19.74%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$28.3K BAM 48.4K

-24.45%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$27.0K BAM 46.2K

-16.45%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$169 BAM 289

-58.14%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$19.25 BAM 32.98

-27.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$23.25 BAM 39.82

-24.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$29.29 BAM 50.2

43.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$10.84 BAM 18.56

-36.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.59 BAM 7.87

28.98%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$237 BAM 405

30.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,714 BAM 6,360

300.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$75.5 BAM 129

-26.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$37.18 BAM 63.7

-29.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$69.5 BAM 119

19.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$122 BAM 208

-42.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$157 BAM 269

174.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$172 BAM 295

38.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$361 BAM 617

128.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$320 BAM 547

60.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,544 BAM 4,358

-24.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,760 BAM 3,014

-16.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Foca: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $157 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $17.00 in Foca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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 7% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,382 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $237 in Foca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $921 in Foca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $921 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.