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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,016 in Hermel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,596 in Hermel, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,176 in Hermel, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 8% cheaper than Hermel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Hermel are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Hermel 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$11.85 LBP 1.1M

-82.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$65.3 LBP 5.8M

-69.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.90 LBP 886.3K

-42.73%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.57 LBP 408.7K

-60.39%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.36 LBP 210.9K

-67.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.84 LBP 75.5K

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$5.01 LBP 448.8K

-55.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$5.13 LBP 459.3K

-26.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.96 LBP 175.3K

4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.82 LBP 73.7K

84.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.23 LBP 199.5K

-37.22%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.55 LBP 318.1K

-36.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$13.36 LBP 1.2M

21.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$10.75 LBP 961.8K

-73.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$14.38 LBP 1.3M

-34.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.09 LBP 276.6K

-13.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.64 LBP 147.1K

-33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.61 LBP 144.4K

0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.54 LBP 137.9K

-5.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.34 LBP 120.0K

-4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.68 LBP 150.7K

-36.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.21 LBP 108.6K

-40.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.73 LBP 65.6K

-27.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.93 LBP 262.0K

44.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$10.15 LBP 908.2K

80.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.32 LBP 118.2K

23.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.49 LBP 223.0K

16.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$5.04 LBP 451.5K

-76.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$2.23 LBP 199.3K

-73.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$22.58 LBP 2.0M

-89.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

46.46%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$52.8K LBP 4.7B

-60.20%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$33.1K LBP 3.0B

-20.18%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$227 LBP 20.3M

-71.90%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$23.27 LBP 2.1M

-44.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$38.23 LBP 3.4M

-46.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$10.06 LBP 900.5K

-34.59%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$671 LBP 60.1M

16.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$10.8K LBP 970.5M

35.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$67.5 LBP 6.0M

-18.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$49.20 LBP 4.4M

-49.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$138 LBP 12.4M

-31.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$118 LBP 10.6M

-37.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hermel: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $65.0 in Hermel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $280 – 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 Hermel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hermel costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,523 in Hermel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $65.0 in Hermel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Hermel, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Hermel at $1,016. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hermel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,016 in Hermel. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hermel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.