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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $414 in Imbabah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $668 in Imbabah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $923 in Imbabah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 125% more than Imbabah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Imbabah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Imbabah 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$4.24 E£221

-50.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$16.30 E£849

20.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.85 E£253

16.91%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$1.34 E£70.0

35.07%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.31 E£16.01

148.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.10 E£5.43

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.38 E£71.9

60.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.83 E£147

33.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$0.65 E£33.66

215.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.21 E£11.04

619.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$0.65 E£34.05

115.38%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.16 E£60.4

94.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$1.42 E£74.2

1040.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.15 E£164

-7.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$6.72 E£350

40.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$1.59 E£82.6

68.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$0.46 E£23.85

136.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$0.38 E£19.69

326.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$0.19 E£9.65

668.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.27 E£14.21

374.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.33 E£17.23

221.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.10 E£4.95

620.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.20 E£10.38

165.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.70 E£88.7

148.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$1.98 E£103

823.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.27 E£66.4

28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$1.90 E£99.1

52.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.20 E£10.34

340.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$14.53 E£757

270.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$0.22 E£11.45

431.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.45 E£23.40

28.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$1.91 E£99.7

25.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.24 E£12.53

504.17%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$32.4K E£1.7M

-35.15%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$27.5K E£1.4M

-3.98%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$13.20 E£687

382.20%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$7.09 E£369

81.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$13.48 E£702

52.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$17.70 E£922

120.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$2.85 E£148

130.88%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$22.69 E£1,182

3354.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$970 E£50.5K

1412.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$15.18 E£791

263.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$19.53 E£1,017

26.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$122 E£6,361

-22.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$53.9 E£2,806

37.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$130 E£6,744

278.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$87.2 E£4,542

230.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$223 E£11.6K

300.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$126 E£6,561

313.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$768 E£40.0K

156.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$432 E£22.5K

234.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$96.6 E£5,028

523.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

21.33

-73.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Imbabah: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $130 in Imbabah. 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 523% 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 $16.00 in Imbabah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $88.0 – making Imbabah 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 Imbabah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 125% more than Imbabah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $621 in Imbabah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $22.69 in Imbabah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 175% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Imbabah, where all-in costs run around $414, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Imbabah 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. Imbabah costs $414 versus $932 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 Imbabah. 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.