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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,186 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,952 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,719 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 27% cheaper than Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kaohsiung are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kaohsiung 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$4.12 NT$133

-52.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$33.84 NT$1,093

-45.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.39 NT$174

38.78%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.96 NT$95.8

-31.76%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.98 NT$31.80

-13.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.76 NT$24.57

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.74 NT$56.1

22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.70 NT$87.2

32.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$3.55 NT$115

-53.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.97 NT$63.8

-20.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$2.63 NT$85.0

-54.75%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.21 NT$104

-39.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$15.90 NT$514

1.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$9.50 NT$307

-68.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$17.68 NT$571

-38.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$6.13 NT$198

-55.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.55 NT$82.6

-54.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.82 NT$91.0

-40.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$4.03 NT$130

-60.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.96 NT$95.6

-53.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.25 NT$72.7

-46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.89 NT$61.0

-64.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.15 NT$37.18

-51.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.31 NT$139

7.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$15.26 NT$493

15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.71 NT$55.4

8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.56 NT$82.8

28.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.88 NT$28.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$27.22 NT$880

-28.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$2.86 NT$92.4

-52.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.77 NT$24.96

74.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.28 NT$203

30.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.03 NT$33.20

18.45%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$34.1K NT$1.1M

-37.39%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$24.9K NT$805.6K

-9.64%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$104 NT$3,372

-32.28%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$24.88 NT$804

-43.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$25.03 NT$809

-30.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$39.26 NT$1,269

7.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$11.20 NT$362

-38.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$10.35 NT$334

-42.80%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$422 NT$13.6K

-26.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$11.2K NT$361.7K

32.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$95.4 NT$3,082

-41.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$35.24 NT$1,139

-25.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$88.6 NT$2,863

-6.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$103 NT$3,323

-31.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$437 NT$14.1K

-1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$274 NT$8,865

-12.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$933 NT$30.1K

-11.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$704 NT$22.7K

-27.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$4,554 NT$147.2K

-57.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$3,076 NT$99.4K

-52.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,502 NT$48.5K

-61.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.3

117.39%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $437 in Kaohsiung. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 159% higher in Kaohsiung, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Kaohsiung. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $383 – 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 Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaohsiung costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,779 in Kaohsiung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $422 in Kaohsiung. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Kaohsiung, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Kaohsiung at $1,186. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kaohsiung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,186 in Kaohsiung. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kaohsiung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.