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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $731 in Irpin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,139 in Irpin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,548 in Irpin, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Irpin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Irpin are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Irpin 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$7.26 ₴320

-73.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$34.13 ₴1,504

-44.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.01 ₴265

31.78%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.41 ₴62.1

35.46%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.57 ₴25.13

47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.42 ₴18.72

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$0.92 ₴40.62

140.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.49 ₴65.5

155.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.01 ₴44.53

62.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.79 ₴34.75

105.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.48 ₴65.1

-20.27%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.50 ₴66.2

34.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.61 ₴424

65.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.95 ₴174

-23.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.94 ₴350

35.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.84 ₴36.88

210.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.52 ₴66.9

-19.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.85 ₴81.7

-8.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.34 ₴103

-32.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.76 ₴33.70

73.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.60 ₴26.29

95.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.36 ₴59.9

-50.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.55 ₴24.18

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.89 ₴127

56.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.67 ₴250

220.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.91 ₴40.24

101.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.31 ₴57.8

146.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.34 ₴15.12

161.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$7.10 ₴313

172.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.78 ₴78.6

-24.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.25 ₴11.06

440.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$4.43 ₴195

86.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.42 ₴62.8

-10.56%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$21.1K ₴929.7K

0.28%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$24.6K ₴1.1M

-8.73%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$88.9 ₴3,920

-21.13%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$5.67 ₴250

142.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$7.09 ₴312

148.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$24.60 ₴1,084

68.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$9.82 ₴433

-32.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.90 ₴216

17.96%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$197 ₴8,668

55.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,393 ₴193.6K

237.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$42.17 ₴1,859

28.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$36.12 ₴1,592

-27.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$77.8 ₴3,428

8.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$66.2 ₴2,916

4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$330 ₴14.5K

28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$216 ₴9,518

10.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$454 ₴20.0K

81.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$335 ₴14.8K

53.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,020 ₴45.0K

100.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$768 ₴33.8K

98.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$410 ₴18.1K

54.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-61.54%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Irpin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $330 in Irpin. 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 55% 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 $34.00 in Irpin. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $169 in Irpin – so Irpin 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 Irpin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Irpin, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,097 in Irpin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $197 in Irpin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $731 in Irpin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Irpin costs $731 versus $852 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 Irpin. 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.