Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kanglung

For one person, living is cheaper in Kanglung: $103 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Kanglung

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$103

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Kanglung

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Kanglung actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $103 in Kanglung, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Kanglung $103

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $170 in Kanglung, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Kanglung $170

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $237 in Kanglung, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Kanglung $237

Chiang Mai costs about 814% more than Kanglung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kanglung are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Kanglung 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.52 BTN 49.61

169.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$1.18 BTN 112

90.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$2.26 BTN 214

649.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$2.15 BTN 204

27.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$2.25 BTN 214

316.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$2.15 BTN 205

11.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$2.16 BTN 206

-53.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$2.22 BTN 211

-27.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$2.16 BTN 205

-29.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.99 BTN 93.8

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$1.01 BTN 96.2

-48.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.40 BTN 133

16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$0.97 BTN 92.3

193.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.27 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

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

$797 ฿26.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kanglung: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Kanglung

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Kanglung

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Kanglung

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Kanglung

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Kanglung

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Kanglung

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Kanglung

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇹 Kanglung

🕒 Local time

19:34 7:34 PM

18:34 6:34 PM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.52 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.36 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BTN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 95.08 BTN (100 BTN = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.36 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Kanglung 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kanglung

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kanglung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 814% more than Kanglung, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $154 in Kanglung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $938 in Chiang Mai and $103 in Kanglung. That's a gap of about 814%.

Groceries cost about 132% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kanglung, where all-in costs run around $103, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Kanglung 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. Kanglung costs $103 versus $938 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 Kanglung. 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.