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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,033 in Iernut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,531 in Iernut, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,029 in Iernut, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 16% cheaper than Iernut, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Iernut are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Iernut 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.37 RON 37.84

-76.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$40.27 RON 182

-53.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.24 RON 37.23

-5.10%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.30 RON 10.41

-15.22%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.33 RON 5.99

-36.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.14 RON 5.15

-69.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.31 RON 10.45

-7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.81 RON 12.70

32.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.55 RON 7.01

10.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.22 RON 5.54

33.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.60 RON 7.22

-28.75%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.06 RON 13.84

-36.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.46 RON 38.25

91.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.01 RON 31.70

-55.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.12 RON 54.8

-10.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.03 RON 4.65

166.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.31 RON 5.94

-7.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.52 RON 6.89

6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.94 RON 8.76

-18.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.88 RON 3.97

59.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.86 RON 3.90

36.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.79 RON 3.56

-16.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.80 RON 3.62

-33.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.81 RON 26.25

-19.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.87 RON 35.57

137.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.09 RON 4.92

65.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.68 RON 7.60

92.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.70 RON 3.17

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$19.48 RON 88.1

-1.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.77 RON 3.48

83.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.75 RON 3.40

72.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.74 RON 30.47

16.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.61 RON 7.27

-21.12%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.6K RON 124.8K

-22.92%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$28.3K RON 127.9K

-21.52%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$167 RON 753

-58.56%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.31 RON 37.57

69.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$9.18 RON 41.50

96.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$42.12 RON 190

-2.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.50 RON 88.1

-64.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.86 RON 26.50

1.02%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$449 RON 2,028

-33.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,609 RON 29.9K

126.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$65.9 RON 298

-16.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$32.16 RON 145

-16.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$73.6 RON 332

15.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$81.8 RON 370

-13.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$384 RON 1,735

11.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$293 RON 1,326

-19.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$580 RON 2,624

38.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$435 RON 1,965

18.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,694 RON 7,657

16.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,579 RON 7,138

-6.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

-35.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iernut: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $384 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $40.00 in Iernut. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $214 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 19% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,549 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $449 in Iernut. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Iernut – 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $1,033 in Iernut, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,033 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.