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 $517 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $859 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,201 in Kandana, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 65% 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 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.98 LKR 1,334

-48.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$25.03 LKR 8,399

-25.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.29 LKR 2,781

-5.19%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.70 LKR 907

-24.81%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.70 LKR 233

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.40 LKR 136

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.28 LKR 765

-6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.41 LKR 1,146

7.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.73 LKR 580

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.56 LKR 189

180.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.83 LKR 278

44.58%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.11 LKR 707

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$13.95 LKR 4,681

16.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.58 LKR 1,538

-33.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$8.15 LKR 2,734

32.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$7.39 LKR 2,481

-62.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.11 LKR 372

5.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$5.95 LKR 1,998

-71.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.21 LKR 405

31.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.16 LKR 390

19.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.37 LKR 459

-15.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.15 LKR 387

-42.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.56 LKR 186

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$9.94 LKR 3,335

-53.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$12.63 LKR 4,237

40.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.01 LKR 676

-10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.86 LKR 960

16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.38 LKR 128

271.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.33 LKR 110

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$0.62 LKR 207

1208.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.25 LKR 419

-1.60%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-21.13%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

-37.24%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

19.52%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$4.29 LKR 1,441

226.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$15.35 LKR 5,150

16.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.38 LKR 1,133

69.23%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$37.44 LKR 12.6K

723.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$444 LKR 148.9K

3208.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$27.86 LKR 9,350

100.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$19.04 LKR 6,390

36.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$68.2 LKR 22.9K

24.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$38.30 LKR 12.9K

85.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kandana: July 26, 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: $244 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 65% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $776 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 $517 in Kandana, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kandana costs $517 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.