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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $705 in Holetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,384 in Holetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,064 in Holetown, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Holetown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Holetown are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Holetown 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$12.63 BBD 25.26

-84.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$99.3 BBD 199

-81.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$15.20 BBD 30.40

-50.79%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.46 BBD 8.92

-54.71%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.47 BBD 2.93

-42.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$1.22 BBD 2.43

-70.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.03 BBD 4.06

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.96 BBD 5.92

21.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.98 BBD 3.95

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.26 BBD 2.52

24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$4.10 BBD 8.20

-70.98%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$6.93 BBD 13.86

-72.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$11.82 BBD 23.65

36.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$12.43 BBD 24.85

-75.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$6.87 BBD 13.73

-60.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$7.55 BBD 15.10

-84.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$5.84 BBD 11.68

-71.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.49 BBD 4.97

-35.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$3.89 BBD 7.79

-64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$3.06 BBD 6.13

-60.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$2.47 BBD 4.94

-72.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$2.45 BBD 4.91

-77.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$1.77 BBD 3.53

-50.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$30.53 BBD 61.1

-95.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$40.44 BBD 80.9

-79.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

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

$14.04 ฿472

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$76.0 BBD 152

-44.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$12.56 BBD 25.13

-52.87%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$6,275 BBD 12.5K

137.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

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 %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Holetown: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $99.0 in Holetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $347 – 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 Holetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Holetown, 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 $1,057 in Holetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $861 in Chiang Mai and $705 in Holetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 42% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $705 in Holetown, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Holetown costs $705 versus $861 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 Holetown. 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.