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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $895 in Hermel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,418 in Hermel, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,940 in Hermel, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Hermel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Hermel are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Hermel 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$10.63 LBP 951.3K

-81.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$59.5 LBP 5.3M

-69.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.99 LBP 714.7K

-6.38%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.41 LBP 305.6K

-40.76%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.59 LBP 142.6K

-46.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

-58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$3.58 LBP 320.6K

-40.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.98 LBP 445.4K

-27.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.77 LBP 158.8K

-6.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

93.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.76 LBP 157.4K

-32.39%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.19 LBP 285.7K

-39.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$11.17 LBP 999.8K

44.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$9.55 LBP 854.7K

-68.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

-4.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.80 LBP 161.0K

50.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.53 LBP 136.5K

-23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

46.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.10 LBP 98.6K

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

46.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.04 LBP 93.1K

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

-24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.43 LBP 217.3K

90.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$10.09 LBP 903.2K

74.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.28 LBP 114.7K

45.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.22 LBP 199.0K

48.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$5.10 LBP 456.3K

-73.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.22 LBP 109.1K

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$20.26 LBP 1.8M

-59.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.90 LBP 80.4K

35.56%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-38.21%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

-18.12%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$219 LBP 19.6M

-67.70%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$37.84 LBP 3.4M

-62.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$36.79 LBP 3.3M

-52.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$8.10 LBP 725.1K

-26.91%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$302 LBP 27.0M

2.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,434 LBP 396.8M

235.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$72.3 LBP 6.5M

-22.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$44.49 LBP 4.0M

-41.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$125 LBP 11.1M

-33.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$95.0 LBP 8.5M

-25.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hermel: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $60.0 in Hermel. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $235 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 4% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,343 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $60.0 in Hermel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $895 in Hermel, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $895 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.