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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $871 in Ibb, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,442 in Ibb, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,013 in Ibb, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Ibb, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Ibb are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ibb 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$6.22 YER 1,473

-66.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$24.96 YER 5,909

-21.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$12.65 YER 2,994

-55.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 YER 486

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 YER 604

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$2.07 YER 491

-12.56%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$1.13 YER 269

-37.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.54 YER 127

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.08 YER 492

-5.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.02 YER 242

47.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$2.00 YER 473

-33.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$3.57 YER 844

-36.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$13.97 YER 3,307

16.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$8.16 YER 1,931

-63.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$19.18 YER 4,541

-48.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$3.32 YER 785

-22.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.01 YER 240

4.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.17 YER 513

-25.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.56 YER 368

-2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.47 YER 347

-13.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$1.36 YER 321

-21.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.81 YER 191

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.63 YER 149

-19.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.40 YER 805

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 YER 441

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 YER 816

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.96 YER 936

5.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$2.09 YER 494

-41.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$2.58 YER 610

-77.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$7.11 YER 1,683

-65.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$2.10 YER 498

-32.86%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$17.1K YER 4.0M

25.53%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$34.6K YER 8.2M

-21.05%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$64.4 YER 15.3K

-1.16%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$16.07 YER 3,804

-20.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$28.95 YER 6,854

-30.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$6.07 YER 1,436

11.04%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$24.22 YER 5,734

3111.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$2,128 YER 503.8K

586.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$29.82 YER 7,060

82.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$125 YER 29.5K

-79.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$48.60 YER 11.5K

94.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$40.97 YER 9,699

79.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$312 YER 73.8K

56.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$251 YER 59.5K

15.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$757 YER 179.2K

18.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$624 YER 147.7K

-17.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$352 YER 83.3K

71.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.25

-50.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ibb: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $312 in Ibb. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 71% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Ibb. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $250 – 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 Ibb: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,306 in Ibb. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Ibb. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ibb, where all-in costs run around $871, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Ibb it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ibb costs $871 versus $947 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 Ibb. 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.