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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $963 in Iernut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,481 in Iernut, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,999 in Iernut, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Iernut are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Iernut 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.4

$9.09 RON 41.02

-77.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿644

$45.26 RON 204

-56.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.75 RON 34.99

-27.10%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.2

$2.32 RON 10.48

-21.98%

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

$0.71 ฿23.40

$1.56 RON 7.04

-54.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.36

$1.31 RON 5.89

-75.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.27 RON 10.27

-1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.41 RON 10.90

50.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.3

$1.45 RON 6.54

35.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.29

$1.19 RON 5.37

26.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.84

$1.49 RON 6.72

-10.07%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.3

$3.12 RON 14.08

-27.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿533

$8.43 RON 38.06

92.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$6.12 RON 27.61

-51.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿326

$10.84 RON 48.94

-8.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.4

$1.05 RON 4.73

144.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.66

$1.33 RON 6.02

-20.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$1.48 RON 6.69

8.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.86

$1.98 RON 8.96

-23.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.68

$0.76 RON 3.42

67.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿34.99

$0.54 RON 2.42

98.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.63

$0.87 RON 3.94

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.69

$0.76 RON 3.43

-32.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$6.25 RON 28.23

-32.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿586

$6.78 RON 30.60

163.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.6

$1.09 RON 4.90

55.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.1

$1.64 RON 7.40

73.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.36

$0.76 RON 3.41

22.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,767

$22.58 RON 102

138.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.50

$0.66 RON 2.98

86.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.92

$0.67 RON 3.00

-13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.5

$6.78 RON 30.61

-64.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.34

$1.84 RON 8.33

-23.37%

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

$21.4K ฿703.6K

$29.8K RON 134.5K

-28.00%

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

$27.3K ฿896.8K

$27.6K RON 124.5K

-0.91%

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

$63.7 ฿2,089

$106 RON 481

-40.18%

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

$12.85 ฿422

$8.69 RON 39.25

47.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿663

$8.47 RON 38.22

138.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,271

$40.39 RON 182

-4.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$21.25 RON 95.9

-81.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$6.76 RON 30.53

-0.30%

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

$778 ฿25.5K

$453 RON 2,045

71.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿479.4K

$7,385 RON 33.3K

97.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,781

$52.2 RON 236

4.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿835

$31.99 RON 144

-20.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,095

$79.4 RON 359

18.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,410

$81.5 RON 368

-9.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$410 RON 1,851

19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,492

$306 RON 1,382

-5.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.3K

$634 RON 2,863

40.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$467 RON 2,108

10.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.1K

$1,983 RON 8,951

-1.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$1,400 RON 6,321

5.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Iernut: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $410 in Iernut. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Iernut. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $200 in Iernut – so Iernut 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 Iernut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iernut 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,444 in Iernut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $453 in Iernut. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Iernut – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Iernut at $963. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iernut it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $963 in Iernut. 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, Iernut makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.