Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kampong Thom Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kampong Thom

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $591 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $950 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,309 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Kampong Thom, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Kampong Thom are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Kampong Thom 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$4.89 ៛19.7K

-58.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$29.63 ៛119.6K

-36.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$6.96 ៛28.1K

12.64%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$2.53 ៛10.2K

-23.72%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$1.02 ៛4,126

-18.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$1.00 ៛4,030

-65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$1.47 ៛5,937

51.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$2.51 ៛10.1K

51.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$2.18 ៛8,809

-24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$1.52 ៛6,145

1.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$0.96 ៛3,890

22.92%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$1.74 ៛7,020

15.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$12.63 ៛51.0K

27.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$4.19 ៛16.9K

-27.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$10.38 ៛41.9K

4.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$4.57 ៛18.4K

-41.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$1.61 ៛6,498

-24.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$3.81 ៛15.4K

-57.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$1.51 ៛6,101

1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$1.70 ៛6,875

-21.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$1.20 ៛4,845

0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$1.44 ៛5,801

-51.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$0.70 ៛2,839

-24.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$1.99 ៛8,019

135.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$11.17 ៛45.1K

58.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$1.05 ៛4,247

76.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.69 ៛6,802

89.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$1.03 ៛4,159

36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

$1.03 ៛4,151

25.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$4.56 ៛18.4K

70.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.13 ៛4,578

14.16%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$49.8K ៛200.9M

-56.27%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$36.6K ៛147.5M

-40.67%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$105 ៛424.5K

-33.47%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$6.44 ៛26.0K

120.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$23.07 ៛93.1K

-24.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$4.57 ៛18.4K

26.48%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$370 ៛1.5M

-19.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$11.3K ៛45.6M

28.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$21.86 ៛88.2K

153.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$22.61 ៛91.3K

16.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$91.5 ៛369.3K

-7.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$74.5 ៛300.8K

-5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.3

-51.46%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Kampong Thom: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Kampong Thom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $246 – 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 Kampong Thom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Kampong Thom, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $887 in Kampong Thom. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $30.00 in Kampong Thom. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $847 in Chiang Mai and $591 in Kampong Thom, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kampong Thom costs $591 versus $847 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 Kampong Thom. 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.