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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $515 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $844 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,173 in Kandana, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 81% more than Kandana, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Kandana are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kandana 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$4.34 LKR 1,434

-52.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$25.55 LKR 8,447

-23.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.43 LKR 2,456

-23.69%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.57 LKR 850

-29.57%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.74 LKR 246

4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.27 LKR 90.0

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.21 LKR 731

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.12 LKR 1,032

21.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.64 LKR 541

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.57 LKR 189

164.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.80 LKR 264

75.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.66 LKR 548

36.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$13.30 LKR 4,398

21.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.06 LKR 1,672

-42.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.19 LKR 2,376

31.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$6.92 LKR 2,289

-61.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.82 LKR 271

32.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.16 LKR 1,375

-61.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.28 LKR 424

14.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.04 LKR 345

23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.80 LKR 264

32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.94 LKR 310

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.45 LKR 150

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.46 LKR 3,457

-59.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.53 LKR 4,472

35.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.92 LKR 634

-15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.87 LKR 949

1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.42 LKR 138

178.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.38 LKR 127

52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$0.90 LKR 296

165.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.30 LKR 429

11.54%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$31.0K LKR 10.3M

-32.24%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$42.1K LKR 13.9M

-37.21%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

12.99%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.19 LKR 1,385

207.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$21.08 LKR 6,971

-2.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.29 LKR 1,418

53.38%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$37.67 LKR 12.5K

1980.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,218 LKR 402.6K

1105.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$19.77 LKR 6,537

178.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$17.04 LKR 5,635

45.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$80.2 LKR 26.5K

17.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$41.75 LKR 13.8K

77.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kandana: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Kandana. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $238 in Kandana – so Kandana 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 Kandana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 81% more than Kandana, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $773 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in Kandana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kandana, where all-in costs run around $515, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kandana 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. Kandana costs $515 versus $932 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.