Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Inarajan

For one person, living is cheaper in Inarajan: $160 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Inarajan

🇬🇺 Guam

$160

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Inarajan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Inarajan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $160 in Inarajan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Inarajan $160

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Inarajan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Inarajan $226

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $291 in Inarajan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Inarajan $291

Chiang Mai costs about 485% more than Inarajan.

Both Chiang Mai and Inarajan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Inarajan 88% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$12.11 $12.11

-53.76%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$5.90 $5.90

-71.86%

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

$0.65 ฿21.83

$1.46 $1.46

-55.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$1.01 $1.01

-70.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.4

$5.85 $5.85

-60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$6.81 $6.81

-46.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.51

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.96

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.13

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.76

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,785

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.69

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

$21.0K ฿708.9K

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

$26.5K ฿894.6K

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

$62.6 ฿2,111

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

$11.60 ฿392

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

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

$727 ฿24.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,807

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,050

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Inarajan: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Inarajan

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Inarajan

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Inarajan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Inarajan

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Inarajan

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Inarajan

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Inarajan

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇬🇺 Inarajan

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

17:36 5:36 PM

3 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

3,052

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.83 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Inarajan 4,920 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Inarajan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Inarajan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 485% more than Inarajan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $240 in Inarajan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $160 in Inarajan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $160 in Inarajan to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.