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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,324 in Juniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,982 in Juniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,639 in Juniyah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 30% cheaper than Juniyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Juniyah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Juniyah 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$11.93 LBP 1.1M

-82.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$62.9 LBP 5.6M

-68.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$10.15 LBP 908.7K

-44.14%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$4.66 LBP 417.5K

-61.16%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$2.27 LBP 202.8K

-66.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.90 LBP 81.0K

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$4.97 LBP 444.7K

-55.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.96 LBP 444.1K

-23.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.96 LBP 175.6K

4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.82 LBP 73.2K

84.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$2.15 LBP 192.2K

-34.88%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$3.66 LBP 327.3K

-38.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$8.96 LBP 802.1K

80.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$10.58 LBP 946.6K

-72.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$14.14 LBP 1.3M

-33.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.97 LBP 266.2K

-9.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.63 LBP 146.1K

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.69 LBP 151.6K

-4.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.48 LBP 132.7K

-1.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.35 LBP 120.5K

-5.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.70 LBP 151.8K

-37.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.21 LBP 108.2K

-40.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.69 LBP 61.7K

-23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.07 LBP 274.4K

37.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$9.84 LBP 880.7K

85.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.32 LBP 117.7K

23.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.57 LBP 229.7K

12.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$5.13 LBP 458.9K

-77.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$2.23 LBP 200.0K

-73.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$22.46 LBP 2.0M

-89.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.05 LBP 93.7K

38.10%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$53.0K LBP 4.7B

-60.37%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$32.4K LBP 2.9B

-18.37%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$226 LBP 20.2M

-71.85%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$23.45 LBP 2.1M

-45.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$37.23 LBP 3.3M

-44.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$29.56 LBP 2.6M

32.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$9.99 LBP 894.0K

-60.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$9.88 LBP 884.1K

-33.40%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$677 LBP 60.6M

15.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$10.6K LBP 945.8M

38.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$67.3 LBP 6.0M

-18.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$49.47 LBP 4.4M

-49.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$136 LBP 12.2M

-31.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$118 LBP 10.6M

-37.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$377 LBP 33.7M

30.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$299 LBP 26.7M

-3.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$442 LBP 39.5M

101.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$402 LBP 36.0M

29.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$795 LBP 71.2M

81.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Juniyah: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $377 in Juniyah. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $63.0 in Juniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $264 – making Chiang Mai 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 Juniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Juniyah costs about 42% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,986 in Juniyah. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $63.0 in Juniyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Juniyah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Juniyah at $1,324. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Juniyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,324 in Juniyah. 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, Juniyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.