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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $536 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $866 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,196 in Kandana, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than Kandana, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Kandana are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kandana 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.94 LKR 1,257

-50.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$24.82 LKR 7,915

-24.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.24 LKR 2,627

-3.88%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.64 LKR 841

-27.65%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.74 LKR 235

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.38 LKR 120

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.33 LKR 743

-5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.25 LKR 1,038

16.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.78 LKR 567

-7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.53 LKR 168

205.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.80 LKR 255

47.50%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.18 LKR 696

-7.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$14.01 LKR 4,469

13.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.60 LKR 1,465

-34.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.83 LKR 2,498

37.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$7.55 LKR 2,407

-65.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.11 LKR 355

9.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$5.68 LKR 1,812

-70.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.21 LKR 386

30.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.11 LKR 354

18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.37 LKR 437

-14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.20 LKR 384

-44.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.60 LKR 191

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$10.23 LKR 3,262

-55.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$12.68 LKR 4,045

43.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.03 LKR 646

-9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.86 LKR 912

12.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.39 LKR 123

246.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.35 LKR 112

285.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$0.58 LKR 185

1322.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.22 LKR 388

4.10%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$26.5K LKR 8.5M

-20.26%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.8K LKR 11.1M

-35.40%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$61.1 LKR 19.5K

14.85%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.42 LKR 1,411

211.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$15.36 LKR 4,897

14.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$3.31 LKR 1,054

74.62%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$36.31 LKR 11.6K

743.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$446 LKR 142.1K

3227.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$27.14 LKR 8,655

100.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$19.00 LKR 6,060

37.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$70.4 LKR 22.4K

20.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

78.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

-69.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kandana: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Kandana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $256 – 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 Kandana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than Kandana, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $804 in Kandana. 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 $25.00 in Kandana. 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $536 in Kandana, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kandana costs $536 versus $852 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 Kandana. 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.