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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $614 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,002 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,390 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 55% more than Kampong Thom, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Kampong Thom are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kampong Thom 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$3.69 ៛14.9K

-43.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$40.15 ៛162.6K

-50.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$6.89 ៛27.9K

-15.97%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.92 ៛11.8K

-37.33%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.85 ៛7,502

-57.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.68 ៛2,759

-54.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.46 ៛5,909

60.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.98 ៛12.1K

24.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.20 ៛8,912

-7.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.66 ៛6,715

-3.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.09 ៛4,432

30.28%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.76 ៛7,125

23.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$14.73 ៛59.6K

8.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.29 ៛17.4K

-28.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$9.34 ៛37.8K

5.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$4.06 ៛16.4K

-35.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.78 ៛7,199

-38.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$4.11 ៛16.6K

-60.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.16 ៛8,764

-29.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.62 ៛6,567

-23.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.21 ៛4,891

-6.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.15 ៛4,664

-35.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.76 ៛3,080

-34.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.92 ៛7,787

122.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$10.92 ៛44.2K

64.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.00 ៛4,055

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.80 ៛7,269

61.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.09 ៛4,411

12.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.98 ៛3,982

-45.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$5.16 ៛20.9K

-53.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.37 ៛5,548

5.11%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$34.8K ៛140.7M

-39.02%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$43.7K ៛177.1M

-37.56%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$111 ៛450.8K

-41.67%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$7.42 ៛30.0K

79.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$25.65 ៛103.9K

-18.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.96 ៛20.1K

35.28%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$670 ៛2.7M

17.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$10.9K ៛44.1M

38.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$28.18 ៛114.1K

99.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$24.28 ៛98.3K

2.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$91.2 ៛369.2K

1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$58.5 ៛237.0K

28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.07

-30.98%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kampong Thom: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $40.00 in Kampong Thom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $253 – 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 55% more than Kampong Thom, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $921 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $40.00 in Kampong Thom. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kampong Thom, where all-in costs run around $614, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Kampong Thom 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. Kampong Thom costs $614 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 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.