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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 28.9% more expensive than Karamay without rent, and 20.3% more expensive with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 0.4% cheaper than Karamay without rent, and 18.7% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Karamay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$2.74 ¥19.67
-26.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$20.49 ¥147
-8.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$4.93 ¥35.38
55.58%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$3.09 ¥22.13
-35.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.43 ¥3.08
90.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.29 ¥2.11
13.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$0.94 ¥6.74
125.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$2.04 ¥14.66
82.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Karamay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.83 ¥13.14
-10.38%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$1.53 ¥11
2.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$0.96 ¥6.89
23.96%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$1.62 ¥11.63
22.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$13.04 ¥93.5
22.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$3.14 ¥22.49
-0.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$10.06 ¥72.2
10.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$1.73 ¥12.4
59.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$1.21 ¥8.7
0.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$1.37 ¥9.83
24.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$1.1 ¥7.88
40.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$0.68 ¥4.91
97.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$0.91 ¥6.5
32.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$0.59 ¥4.24
22.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.55 ¥3.92
-3.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$3.16 ¥22.64
49.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$10.69 ¥76.7
72.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$0.76 ¥5.44
135.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$1.66 ¥11.9
93.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Karamay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.29 ¥2.1
224.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$16.51 ¥118
14.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$1.42 ¥10.21
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$0.35 ¥2.52
285.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$6.58 ¥47.2
19.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.17 ¥8.36
6.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$19.6K ¥140.5K
8.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$17K ¥122.1K
28.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Karamay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$45.98 ¥330
53.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$9.73 ¥69.8
41.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$11.33 ¥81.3
54.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Karamay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$40.97 ¥294
1.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$14.21 ¥102
-51.44%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$6.15 ¥44.09
-5.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Karamay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$341 ¥2,449
-9.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$16.9K ¥121.3K
-13.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Karamay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$43.22 ¥310
28.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$30 ¥215
-12.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$71.4 ¥512
19.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$73.2 ¥525
-1.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Karamay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$279 ¥2,004
55.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$186 ¥1,331
26.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$594 ¥4,258
38.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$358 ¥2,566
39.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$2,808 ¥20.1K
-22.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$2,027 ¥14.5K
-23.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Karamay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$552 ¥3,962
27.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
3.87
29.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Karamay: October 29, 2025

Similar cities

Join the CityCost newsletter – low traffic, no spam, and easy to unsubscribe. Your email stays private.