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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $776 in Hefei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,235 in Hefei, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,694 in Hefei, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Hefei, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Hefei are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Hefei 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$2.46 ¥16.48

-15.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$22.01 ¥148

-10.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$4.51 ¥30.25

25.28%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$2.71 ¥18.13

-33.21%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.53 ¥3.53

33.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.29 ¥1.95

10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$1.02 ¥6.81

119.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.05 ¥13.75

77.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.62 ¥10.85

20.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$1.95 ¥13.04

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.80 ¥5.38

67.50%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.83 ¥12.25

23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$13.89 ¥93.1

17.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.91 ¥32.93

-39.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$11.58 ¥77.6

-14.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$2.22 ¥14.89

15.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$1.67 ¥11.19

-36.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.71 ¥11.46

-5.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$1.53 ¥10.23

-0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.82 ¥5.52

54.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.92 ¥6.18

16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.85 ¥5.68

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.70 ¥4.67

-27.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.03 ¥20.29

38.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$11.86 ¥79.5

50.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$0.92 ¥6.16

83.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$1.97 ¥13.19

44.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.29 ¥1.93

220.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$45.35 ¥304

18.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$1.18 ¥7.87

4.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.31 ¥2.11

87.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$3.47 ¥23.26

-30.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.23 ¥8.27

14.63%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$19.2K ¥128.5K

11.85%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$16.7K ¥112.2K

63.21%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$49.41 ¥331

28.86%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$9.12 ¥61.1

40.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$11.74 ¥78.7

72.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$15.74 ¥105

146.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$15.29 ¥102

-74.04%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$6.20 ¥41.53

8.71%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$244 ¥1,636

218.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$8,710 ¥58.4K

67.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$89.8 ¥602

-39.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$32.55 ¥218

-21.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$63.2 ¥424

49.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$94.8 ¥635

-22.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$247 ¥1,655

98.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$182 ¥1,220

58.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$545 ¥3,654

63.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$334 ¥2,236

54.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$3,509 ¥23.5K

-44.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$1,939 ¥13.0K

-23.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$1,014 ¥6,796

-40.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.15

76.83%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hefei: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $247 in Hefei. 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 68% higher in Hefei, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Hefei. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $231 in Hefei – so Hefei 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 Hefei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Hefei, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,165 in Hefei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hefei, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $244 in Hefei. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hefei, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Hefei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hefei costs $776 versus $947 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 Hefei. 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.