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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,066 in Ishim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,620 in Ishim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,175 in Ishim, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Ishim, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Ishim are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ishim 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$9.96 ₽727

-80.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$35.56 ₽2,595

-47.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.73 ₽638

-10.42%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.66 ₽194

-26.69%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.99 ₽72.4

-14.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.58 ₽42.50

-39.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.10 ₽80.1

93.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.86 ₽136

100.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.10 ₽80.2

55.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.63 ₽45.65

158.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.26 ₽91.9

-9.52%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.67 ₽122

15.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.64 ₽777

52.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.16 ₽304

-25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.22 ₽892

-10.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.63 ₽119

68.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.82 ₽133

-33.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.71 ₽125

-5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.29 ₽167

-30.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.95 ₽69.6

47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.67 ₽48.58

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.06 ₽77.7

-37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.74 ₽54.0

-28.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.92 ₽213

60.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.82 ₽571

138.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.02 ₽74.5

76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.24 ₽90.8

160.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.53 ₽39.01

69.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.92 ₽213

-51.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.22 ₽16.05

486.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.18 ₽451

26.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.76 ₽55.5

67.11%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$25.4K ₽1.9M

-16.21%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$23.2K ₽1.7M

-4.21%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$157 ₽11.4K

-55.94%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$5.02 ₽367

180.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$10.38 ₽758

73.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$35.17 ₽2,567

16.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.46 ₽325

32.74%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$177 ₽12.9K

69.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$8,362 ₽610.4K

78.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$97.2 ₽7,095

-43.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$45.48 ₽3,319

-41.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$151 ₽11.0K

-43.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$162 ₽11.8K

-56.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$447 ₽32.6K

-4.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$309 ₽22.6K

-23.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$751 ₽54.8K

6.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$513 ₽37.4K

0.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,461 ₽179.7K

-19.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,796 ₽131.1K

-17.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.38

-77.66%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ishim: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $447 in Ishim. 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 $36.00 in Ishim. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $196 in Ishim – so Ishim 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 Ishim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ishim costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,598 in Ishim. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $36.00 in Ishim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Ishim – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Ishim at $1,066. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ishim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,066 in Ishim. 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, Ishim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.