Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ha Dong

For one person, living is cheaper in Ha Dong: $794 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Ha Dong
Learn more

Ha Dong Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Ha Dong

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$794

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Ha Dong

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $794 in Ha Dong, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Ha Dong $794

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,278 in Ha Dong, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Ha Dong $1,278

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,762 in Ha Dong, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Ha Dong $1,762

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Ha Dong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Ha Dong are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ha Dong 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$1.99 ₫51.5K

12.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$22.71 ₫586.6K

-16.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$4.43 ₫114.5K

25.28%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.86 ₫48.2K

-10.22%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.52 ₫13.4K

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.34 ₫8,654

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.11 ₫28.7K

112.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.99 ₫51.3K

83.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.53 ₫39.4K

27.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.12 ₫29.0K

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.77 ₫19.8K

72.73%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.44 ₫37.1K

58.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$11.87 ₫306.7K

38.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.62 ₫93.5K

-23.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$10.20 ₫263.4K

-8.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$3.27 ₫84.5K

-28.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.03 ₫26.6K

-5.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.31 ₫33.9K

22.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.11 ₫28.7K

35.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.92 ₫23.7K

39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$1.09 ₫28.1K

0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.59 ₫15.1K

20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.52 ₫13.3K

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$1.42 ₫36.7K

191.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$12.66 ₫327.1K

38.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.96 ₫24.9K

67.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.75 ₫45.2K

58.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.31 ₫8,122

180.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$6.51 ₫168.2K

730.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.74 ₫19.0K

56.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.60 ₫15.5K

-11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$2.28 ₫58.9K

6.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.88 ₫22.8K

64.77%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$30.7K ₫793.9M

-31.48%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$29.4K ₫758.4M

-8.23%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$86.7 ₫2.2M

-28.28%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$5.38 ₫139.1K

126.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$8.89 ₫229.6K

126.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$23.54 ₫608.1K

58.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$7.69 ₫198.7K

-50.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.37 ₫112.8K

48.51%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$246 ₫6.4M

199.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$12.7K ₫327.5M

16.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$48.83 ₫1.3M

9.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$26.19 ₫676.6K

-5.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$83.5 ₫2.2M

9.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$78.9 ₫2.0M

-8.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$407 ₫10.5M

18.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$278 ₫7.2M

11.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$820 ₫21.2M

22.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$625 ₫16.2M

1.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,226 ₫57.5M

6.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,228 ₫31.7M

29.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.28

-32.73%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ha Dong: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Ha Dong

$278 35% 10% $31

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Ha Dong

$200 25.2% 14.6% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Ha Dong

$107 13.5% 1.7% $1.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Ha Dong

$101 12.7% 6.9% $6.5

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Ha Dong

$65 8.1% 16.8% $13

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ha Dong

$12 1.5% 81.2% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Ha Dong

$32 4.1% 35.8% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $407 in Ha Dong. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $23 in Ha Dong. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $200 in Ha Dong – so Ha Dong wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇻🇳 Ha Dong

🕒 Local time

06:13 6:13 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

50,877

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 25,832 VND (100,000 VND = 3.87 USD). 1 EUR = 28,757 VND (100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Ha Dong 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ha Dong

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 Ha Dong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Ha Dong, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $1,191 in Ha Dong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ha Dong, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $407 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $246 in Ha Dong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Ha Dong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.