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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 4.9% cheaper than Harbin without rent, and 0.3% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 9.6% cheaper than Harbin without rent, and 5.6% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Harbin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.94 ฿62.8
$2.83 ¥20.31
-31.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.36 ฿594
$20.77 ¥149
-11.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.78 ฿252
$5.04 ¥36.14
54.37%
Cappuccino
$1.96 ฿63.3
$2.66 ¥19.1
-26.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 ฿27.01
$0.42 ¥2.99
97.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.44
$0.27 ¥1.92
29.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.1 ฿67.9
$0.94 ¥6.74
123.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 ฿121
$1.76 ¥12.65
113.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Harbin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ฿54.8
$1.94 ¥13.92
-12.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿52.6
$1.89 ¥13.55
-13.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.2 ฿38.83
$0.9 ¥6.43
33.33%
Eggs
$1.99 ฿64.5
$1.26 ¥9.01
57.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.97 ฿517
$10.46 ¥75.1
52.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.14 ฿102
$3.53 ¥25.29
-11.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.94 ฿354
$10.99 ¥78.9
-0.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.68 ฿86.6
$2.48 ¥17.79
8.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.17 ฿37.97
$1.72 ¥12.33
-31.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿52.6
$2.4 ¥17.21
-32.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 ฿49.78
$1.09 ¥7.79
41.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.23
$0.78 ¥5.57
71.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿37.78
$1.69 ¥12.12
-30.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 ฿21.52
$0.34 ¥2.44
97.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿18.09
$0.76 ¥5.44
-26.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.57 ฿148
$2.44 ¥17.51
87.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.42 ฿596
$12.21 ¥87.6
50.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$0.54 ¥3.89
231.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 ฿106
$2.36 ¥16.93
38.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Harbin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿31.19
$0.27 ¥1.93
255.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.98 ฿614
$10.49 ¥75.2
80.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ฿43.78
$1.23 ¥8.8
9.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.3 ฿42.14
$0.35 ¥2.54
271.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.24 ฿267
$9.58 ¥68.7
-13.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.97
$1.16 ¥8.31
6.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ฿699.5K
$14.1K ¥101.4K
52.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.1K
$12.7K ¥90.9K
72.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Harbin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.2 ฿2,272
$55.7 ¥400
25.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.18 ฿459
$13.9 ¥99.7
2.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.88 ฿579
$15.82 ¥114
13.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Harbin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.29 ฿1,369
$95.1 ¥682
-55.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.73 ฿218
$27.98 ¥201
-75.95%
Cinema Ticket
$5.7 ฿185
$5.45 ¥39.09
4.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Harbin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,969
$231 ¥1,657
33.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K ฿487.6K
$10.6K ¥76.3K
41.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Harbin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.3 ฿1,822
$69.8 ¥501
-19.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.3 ฿851
$29.82 ¥214
-11.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.7 ฿2,742
$76 ¥545
11.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.2 ฿2,336
$154 ¥1,102
-53.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Harbin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14.1K
$307 ¥2,203
41.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$243 ฿7,854
$222 ¥1,590
9.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$807 ฿26.1K
$1,333 ¥9,564
-39.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$499 ฿16.2K
$482 ¥3,456
3.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,195 ฿71K
$2,987 ¥21.4K
-26.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,560 ฿50.5K
$1,291 ¥9,261
20.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Harbin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$683 ฿22.1K
$865 ¥6,208
-21.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
5.79
-13.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 3, 2025

Last update for Harbin: November 4, 2025

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