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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $996 in Foca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,435 in Foca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,873 in Foca, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Foca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.0

$5.35 BAM 8.98

-60.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿653

$23.42 BAM 39.33

-15.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$4.73 BAM 7.94

22.41%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.2

$1.59 BAM 2.67

15.09%

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

$0.78 ฿25.51

$1.38 BAM 2.31

-43.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.33

$0.86 BAM 1.44

-63.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿76.9

$1.81 BAM 3.04

29.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.39 BAM 4.02

54.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿66.8

$1.22 BAM 2.04

66.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.5

$1.14 BAM 1.92

40.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.57

$1.63 BAM 2.74

-12.88%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.6

$2.08 BAM 3.49

4.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿523

$6.99 BAM 11.74

127.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿101

$6.64 BAM 11.15

-53.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿325

$10.55 BAM 17.72

-6.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.4

$0.86 BAM 1.44

205.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.05

$1.74 BAM 2.93

-36.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.6

$2.31 BAM 3.89

-29.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.4

$1.76 BAM 2.95

-13.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.97

$1.06 BAM 1.78

16.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.22

$1.40 BAM 2.35

-19.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.29

$1.19 BAM 1.99

-37.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.42

$0.95 BAM 1.60

-47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$3.67 BAM 6.17

16.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿591

$8.31 BAM 13.95

116.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$0.92 BAM 1.54

84.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.3

$1.17 BAM 1.96

147.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.00

$1.36 BAM 2.28

-30.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,820

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.60

$1.80 BAM 3.03

-31.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.57 BAM 0.96

-7.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.0

$17.52 BAM 29.43

-86.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.37

$1.57 BAM 2.63

-8.28%

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

$21.2K ฿697.5K

$31.8K BAM 53.4K

-33.37%

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

$27.3K ฿898.6K

$22.2K BAM 37.3K

23.09%

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

$64.9 ฿2,137

$163 BAM 273

-60.10%

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

$13.35 ฿439

$16.91 BAM 28.40

-21.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿686

$35.86 BAM 60.2

-41.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,330

$33.81 BAM 56.8

19.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿221

$6.08 BAM 10.22

10.36%

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

$787 ฿25.9K

$306 BAM 514

157.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿497.7K

$3,664 BAM 6,154

312.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,850

$86.3 BAM 145

-34.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿821

$36.91 BAM 62.0

-32.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,051

$70.6 BAM 119

31.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,472

$148 BAM 249

-49.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿15.9K

$158 BAM 265

206.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,454

$259 BAM 435

10.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿29.9K

$538 BAM 903

69.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$379 BAM 637

39.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.2K

$2,488 BAM 4,179

-20.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.8K

$1,854 BAM 3,113

-21.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.44

25.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Foca: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Foca. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $203 in Foca – so Foca 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 Foca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Foca costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $1,494 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $23.00 in Foca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Foca – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Foca at $996. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Foca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $996 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.