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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $533 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $853 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,173 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 ฿64.1

$4.07 LKR 1,357

-51.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$25.03 LKR 8,347

-26.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$8.32 LKR 2,775

-5.41%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.77 LKR 923

-29.60%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.68 LKR 226

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$0.40 LKR 135

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.35 LKR 785

-8.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$3.43 LKR 1,145

7.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.76 LKR 587

-5.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$0.52 LKR 172

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$0.85 LKR 284

40.00%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.19 LKR 729

-9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$13.81 LKR 4,608

17.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$4.75 LKR 1,584

-33.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$7.93 LKR 2,646

36.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$7.26 LKR 2,422

-63.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.10 LKR 367

10.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$5.63 LKR 1,878

-70.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.21 LKR 403

28.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$1.11 LKR 369

19.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.41 LKR 471

-14.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$1.20 LKR 402

-43.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.59 LKR 197

-3.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$10.03 LKR 3,347

-53.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$12.77 LKR 4,261

33.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$2.00 LKR 668

-9.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$2.84 LKR 946

11.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$0.41 LKR 137

243.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$0.32 LKR 108

318.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$0.61 LKR 205

1234.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.26 LKR 419

1.59%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

-17.28%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$34.5K LKR 11.5M

-35.05%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$60.0 LKR 20.0K

17.53%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$4.22 LKR 1,406

232.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$15.33 LKR 5,115

15.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$3.25 LKR 1,085

83.38%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$37.27 LKR 12.4K

712.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$448 LKR 149.3K

3241.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$27.99 LKR 9,336

95.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$19.71 LKR 6,573

33.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$70.7 LKR 23.6K

21.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

77.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Kandana: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Kandana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $255 – 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $800 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 $18.00 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $533 in Kandana, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kandana costs $533 versus $848 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.