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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $728 in Itu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,343 in Itu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,958 in Itu, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Itu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Itu are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Itu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.34 R$27.38

-60.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$38.20 R$196

-48.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$6.30 R$32.28

-8.10%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.88 R$9.63

-2.66%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.74 R$3.80

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.50 R$2.54

-38.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.45 R$12.55

-4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$4.78 R$24.52

-22.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.04 R$5.31

95.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.43 R$7.33

11.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.14 R$5.86

24.56%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.59 R$13.29

-15.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.70 R$44.61

82.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$3.77 R$19.30

-18.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$5.68 R$29.12

73.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.70 R$8.72

54.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.37 R$7.02

-19.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$0.75 R$3.85

117.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.73 R$8.86

-11.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.93 R$4.75

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.32 R$6.79

-14.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.76 R$3.89

-2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.49 R$2.53

2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.67 R$13.67

60.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$5.64 R$28.90

218.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.65 R$8.48

3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.85 R$14.59

1.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.93 R$4.75

1.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$42.88 R$220

28.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.97 R$4.98

26.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.00 R$5.14

-47.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$9.37 R$48.04

-74.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.95 R$4.86

51.58%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$23.4K R$119.7K

-9.24%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$26.9K R$137.9K

1.52%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$43.80 R$225

48.24%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$11.75 R$60.2

13.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$16.37 R$83.9

27.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$25.27 R$130

59.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$26.18 R$134

-84.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.76 R$24.42

40.97%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$418 R$2,142

88.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,279 R$37.3K

107.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$47.33 R$243

18.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$38.73 R$199

-35.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$68.4 R$351

35.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$47.74 R$245

57.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$307 R$1,574

57.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$193 R$989

48.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$765 R$3,922

18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$633 R$3,246

-16.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,600 R$8,201

23.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,106 R$5,671

31.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$285 R$1,460

112.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.12

-49.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Itu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $307 in Itu. 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 112% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Itu. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $170 in Itu – so Itu 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 Itu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Itu, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,092 in Itu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $418 in Itu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itu, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Itu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Itu costs $728 versus $950 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 Itu. 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.