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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $724 in Irati, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,184 in Irati, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,644 in Irati, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Irati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Irati are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Irati 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$7.37 R$37.29

-73.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$35.87 R$182

-47.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.15 R$31.11

26.02%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.34 R$6.80

43.28%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.98 R$4.97

-19.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.66 R$3.36

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.23 R$6.23

79.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.86 R$9.43

96.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.73 R$3.70

126.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.05 R$5.32

55.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.67 R$3.41

77.61%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.28 R$6.46

56.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$5.88 R$29.79

171.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.16 R$15.97

-4.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.35 R$37.19

47.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.31 R$6.65

110.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.70 R$3.53

68.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.73 R$3.72

124.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.21 R$6.12

25.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.74 R$3.77

86.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.55 R$2.80

116.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.43 R$2.15

62.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.54 R$2.72

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$1.94 R$9.82

136.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.57 R$38.31

118.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.99 R$5.02

84.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.47 R$7.43

117.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.86 R$4.37

2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$38.30 R$194

-51.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.29 R$6.53

5.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.65 R$3.30

106.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.16 R$26.13

51.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.04 R$5.28

18.27%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$16.3K R$82.5K

32.76%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$23.6K R$119.2K

-4.27%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$53.1 R$269

32.82%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$13.22 R$66.9

3.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$15.80 R$80.0

10.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$22.08 R$112

87.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$21.98 R$111

-68.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.20 R$31.37

-6.94%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$268 R$1,356

14.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$5,535 R$28.0K

163.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$45.38 R$230

22.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$44.00 R$223

-40.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$81.1 R$411

5.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$52.6 R$266

37.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$315 R$1,592

36.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$214 R$1,085

11.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$583 R$2,951

40.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$421 R$2,132

21.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,511 R$7,647

31.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,128 R$5,709

31.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$502 R$2,542

23.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.2

-50.98%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Irati: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $315 in Irati. 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 23% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Irati. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $135 in Irati – so Irati 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 Irati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Irati, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,085 in Irati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $268 in Irati. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 78% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $724 in Irati, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Irati costs $724 versus $869 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 Irati. 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.