🙂A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,342 in Hadiya, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,240 in Hadiya, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,138 in Hadiya, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 35% cheaper than Hadiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Hadiya is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Hadiya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.94฿63.5
$7.62KWD 2.34
-74.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.64฿609
$57.8KWD 17.72
-67.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.82฿255
$8.49KWD 2.60
-7.89%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.40KWD 0.74
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.43KWD 1.05
-
Cappuccino
$1.95฿63.8
$5.27KWD 1.62
-63.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85฿27.77
$0.62KWD 0.19
37.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.58
$0.33KWD 0.10
6.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.13฿69.6
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿122
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Hadiya
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71฿56.0
$1.42KWD 0.44
20.42%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63฿53.2
$1.09KWD 0.33
49.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14฿37.15
$1.74KWD 0.53
-34.48%
Eggs
$1.93฿63.1
$2.05KWD 0.63
-5.85%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.21฿530
$4.58KWD 1.40
253.93%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.12฿102
$6.38KWD 1.96
-51.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.90฿356
$9.78KWD 3.00
11.45%
Apples(1kg)
$2.75฿90.0
$2.35KWD 0.72
17.02%
Banana(1kg)
$1.21฿39.52
$1.66KWD 0.51
-27.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿53.0
$1.55KWD 0.48
4.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.37KWD 0.42
16.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.40฿45.70
$1.23KWD 0.38
13.82%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.17
$1.15KWD 0.35
1.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66฿21.60
$1.67KWD 0.51
-60.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.22
$0.43KWD 0.13
23.26%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.01KWD 0.31
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.34KWD 0.41
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.69฿153
$2.88KWD 0.88
62.85%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.66฿609
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.8
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Hadiya
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90฿29.26
$0.88KWD 0.27
2.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.21฿628
$44.39KWD 13.61
-56.72%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41฿45.91
$3.36KWD 1.03
-58.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.29฿42.12
$3.31KWD 1.02
-61.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84฿256
$16.47KWD 5.05
-52.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.58
$0.33KWD 0.10
284.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K฿694.9K
$20.5KKWD 6,274
4.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K฿725.4K
$19.4KKWD 5,953
14.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Hadiya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$69.1฿2,256
$61.8KWD 18.96
11.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.08฿460
$17.92KWD 5.50
-21.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.00฿588
$26.19KWD 8.03
-31.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Hadiya
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.06฿1,341
$94.3KWD 28.93
-56.47%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96฿227
$46.40KWD 14.23
-85.00%
Cinema Ticket
$5.92฿193
$11.35KWD 3.48
-47.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Hadiya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$299฿9,766
$287KWD 88.0
4.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.0K฿488.3K
$6,095KWD 1,869
145.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Hadiya
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7฿1,787
$42.07KWD 12.90
30.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.77฿874
$42.34KWD 12.99
-36.77%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.0฿2,776
$86.4KWD 26.49
-1.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.6฿2,306
$83.1KWD 25.48
-15.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Hadiya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$428฿14.0K
$789KWD 242
-45.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$237฿7,752
$610KWD 187
-61.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$801฿26.2K
$1,589KWD 487
-49.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$1,312KWD 402
-60.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,975฿64.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,475฿48.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Hadiya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$617฿20.2K
$4,454KWD 1,366
-86.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
7.14
-29.97%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026
Last update for Hadiya: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $789 in Hadiya. 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 621% higher in Hadiya, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $58.0 in Hadiya. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Hadiya – so Hadiya 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 Hadiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Hadiya?
Hadiya costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Hadiya?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,013 in Hadiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Hadiya?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Hadiya?
Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $287 in Hadiya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Hadiya?
Interestingly, groceries are about 47% cheaper in Hadiya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Hadiya?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Hadiya at $1,342. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hadiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Hadiya?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,342 in Hadiya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Hadiya?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Hadiya?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hadiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared