Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hat Yai Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hat Yai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $737 in Hat Yai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,323 in Hat Yai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,910 in Hat Yai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Hat Yai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Hat Yai are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Hat Yai 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$3.12 ฿102

-37.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$46.25 ฿1,516

-60.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$4.26 ฿140

84.74%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.69 ฿88.3

-27.51%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.16 ฿38.09

-26.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$0.47 ฿15.45

-31.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.87 ฿61.3

14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$3.67 ฿120

0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.52 ฿49.83

9.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$1.28 ฿41.92

21.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.28 ฿41.91

-7.03%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.50 ฿82.1

-20.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$22.99 ฿753

-29.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$2.32 ฿76.1

36.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$11.59 ฿380

-6.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$2.56 ฿84.0

3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.47 ฿48.22

-17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$2.01 ฿65.9

-17.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.52 ฿49.94

1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$1.48 ฿48.47

-10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.09 ฿35.88

11.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.99 ฿32.52

-31.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.35 ฿11.58

62.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$4.60 ฿151

1.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$15.64 ฿513

8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.78 ฿58.3

2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$1.98 ฿64.9

60.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$0.61 ฿19.99

49.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$1.06 ฿34.61

33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$1.18 ฿38.77

13.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$6.27 ฿206

29.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.37 ฿44.86

-6.57%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$19.1K ฿626.3K

14.21%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$46.6K ฿1.5M

-51.92%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$86.4 ฿2,830

-18.38%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$13.91 ฿456

1.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$9.78 ฿320

80.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$48.81 ฿1,599

-15.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$12.29 ฿403

-45.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$7.35 ฿241

-18.91%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$299 ฿9,802

1.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$9,838 ฿322.4K

52.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$38.55 ฿1,263

41.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$27.57 ฿903

-4.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$73.7 ฿2,415

16.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$70.1 ฿2,298

-0.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$279 ฿9,156

53.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$112 ฿3,654

114.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$755 ฿24.7K

7.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$411 ฿13.5K

24.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$2,314 ฿75.8K

-12.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$1,619 ฿53.1K

-7.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$471 ฿15.4K

32.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

-21.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Hat Yai: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $279 in Hat Yai. 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 32% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $46.00 in Hat Yai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $255 – making Chiang Mai 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 Hat Yai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Hat Yai, 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,105 in Hat Yai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hat Yai, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $46.00 in Hat Yai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chiang Mai – 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $737 in Hat Yai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hat Yai costs $737 versus $848 in Chiang Mai. 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 Hat Yai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.