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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $887 in Hermel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,417 in Hermel, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,947 in Hermel, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Hermel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Hermel are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Hermel 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$10.76 LBP 963.4K

-81.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$61.0 LBP 5.5M

-69.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.94 LBP 710.6K

-1.51%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.40 LBP 304.7K

-42.65%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.59 LBP 142.0K

-46.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

-60.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.45 LBP 308.4K

-38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.12 LBP 458.5K

-27.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.70 LBP 152.3K

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.80 LBP 71.3K

103.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.83 LBP 163.6K

-37.70%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.15 LBP 282.1K

-38.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.22 LBP 1.0M

44.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$9.73 LBP 871.2K

-67.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.22 LBP 1.0M

-2.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.72 LBP 154.3K

59.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.46 LBP 130.4K

-17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.11 LBP 99.0K

45.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.09 LBP 97.4K

45.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.01 LBP 90.0K

38.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.00 LBP 89.5K

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

-18.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.56 LBP 49.7K

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.43 LBP 217.2K

93.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$10.20 LBP 912.8K

82.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.24 LBP 111.0K

45.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

51.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$5.14 LBP 459.8K

-72.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.26 LBP 113.1K

2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$20.35 LBP 1.8M

-61.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.94 LBP 84.4K

35.11%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.0K LBP 3.1B

-39.16%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$27.7K LBP 2.5B

-19.83%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$211 LBP 18.9M

-67.34%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$38.27 LBP 3.4M

-63.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$36.77 LBP 3.3M

-51.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$8.23 LBP 736.4K

-28.07%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$303 LBP 27.2M

-1.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,375 LBP 391.6M

241.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$71.8 LBP 6.4M

-23.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$45.12 LBP 4.0M

-40.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$124 LBP 11.1M

-31.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$95.1 LBP 8.5M

-25.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

-55.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hermel: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $61.0 in Hermel. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $234 in Hermel – so Hermel 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 Hermel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hermel costs about 2% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,331 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $61.0 in Hermel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Hermel – 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $887 in Hermel, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $887 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.