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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $862 in Howick, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,338 in Howick, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,813 in Howick, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Howick have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Howick are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Howick 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.38 R 55.2

-42.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$28.56 R 467

-34.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.45 R 56.4

126.67%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.98 R 32.37

-1.52%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.55 R 8.95

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.44 R 7.14

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$2.00 R 32.65

6.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.29 R 37.46

62.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.05 R 17.17

62.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.81 R 13.17

101.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.13 R 18.55

0.88%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.18 R 35.68

-11.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.96 R 81.0

226.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.26 R 37.00

38.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$4.93 R 80.5

121.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.49 R 24.37

84.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.09 R 17.78

11.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.38 R 22.52

17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.14 R 18.63

39.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.80 R 13.14

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.23 R 20.03

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.96 R 15.76

-31.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.92 R 14.98

-42.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.17 R 51.8

47.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$4.89 R 80.0

281.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.15 R 18.82

56.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.10 R 18.03

193.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$1.64 R 26.78

-45.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.72 R 28.19

-18.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.57 R 9.39

126.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.80 R 111

15.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.25 R 20.41

1.60%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$14.0K R 229.1K

51.81%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$22.6K R 369.7K

-1.78%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$147 R 2,400

-52.95%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$13.79 R 225

2.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$33.39 R 546

-46.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$31.06 R 508

32.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.66 R 92.6

4.59%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$100 R 1,639

198.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$4,543 R 74.3K

229.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$42.71 R 698

28.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$14.15 R 231

89.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$82.5 R 1,348

3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$44.83 R 733

57.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$369 R 6,035

15.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$330 R 5,396

-28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$682 R 11.1K

17.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$698 R 11.4K

-26.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$980 R 16.0K

101.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$777 R 12.7K

89.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

-58.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Howick: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $369 in Howick. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Howick. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $135 in Howick – so Howick 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 Howick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,294 in Howick. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 82% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $29.00 in Howick. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $862 in Howick, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Howick costs $862 versus $866 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 Howick. 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.