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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $344 in Ismailia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $582 in Ismailia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $819 in Ismailia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 152% more than Ismailia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ismailia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ismailia 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.58 E£186

-45.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$15.66 E£813

19.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$4.50 E£234

73.78%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.95 E£49.38

105.26%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.27 E£13.84

214.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.11 E£5.62

218.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.20 E£62.3

77.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.96 E£102

90.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.85 E£44.28

101.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.41 E£21.35

297.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.66 E£34.11

72.73%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.40 E£72.5

37.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.01 E£156

438.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.72 E£193

-16.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.78 E£404

40.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.46 E£76.0

88.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.54 E£28.01

124.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.41 E£21.36

295.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.29 E£14.90

448.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.37 E£19.45

278.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.41 E£21.39

185.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.19 E£9.75

247.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.17 E£8.61

211.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.63 E£84.6

187.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$5.85 E£303

218.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.02 E£53.1

76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.95 E£101

65.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.25 E£12.93

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$4.04 E£210

375.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.33 E£17.19

327.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.45 E£23.58

186.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.94 E£101

304.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.33 E£17.32

284.85%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$30.1K E£1.6M

-29.30%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$16.1K E£835.7K

37.95%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$11.33 E£588

509.62%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$5.68 E£295

147.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$7.72 E£401

133.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$11.67 E£606

251.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.66 E£1,020

-64.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.01 E£104

194.53%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$86.9 E£4,509

244.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$1,214 E£63.0K

1132.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$12.65 E£657

332.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$10.12 E£525

164.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$107 E£5,537

-20.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$49.96 E£2,593

41.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$89.7 E£4,653

377.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$39.40 E£2,045

502.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$142 E£7,384

463.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$88.5 E£4,591

482.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$485 E£25.2K

307.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$133 E£6,897

1009.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$107 E£5,570

475.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-70.59%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ismailia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $89.7 in Ismailia. 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 475% 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 $16.00 in Ismailia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $111 – making Ismailia 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 Ismailia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 152% more than Ismailia, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $516 in Ismailia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $86.9 in Ismailia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 122% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $344 in Ismailia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ismailia costs $344 versus $866 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 Ismailia. 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.