Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kelcyre

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,194 in Kelcyre, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Kelcyre
Learn more

Kelcyre Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Kelcyre

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,194

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Kelcyre actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,194 in Kelcyre, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Kelcyre $1,194

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,822 in Kelcyre, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Kelcyre $1,822

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,451 in Kelcyre, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Kelcyre $2,451

Chiang Mai is about 22% cheaper than Kelcyre, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kelcyre are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kelcyre 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$9.93 ALL 802

-77.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$55.5 ALL 4,480

-65.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$11.27 ALL 910

-50.75%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$2.28 ALL 184

-26.75%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$2.47 ALL 200

-74.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$1.25 ALL 101

-75.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$3.63 ALL 293

-34.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$4.17 ALL 337

-12.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$2.26 ALL 183

-13.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.17 ALL 94.5

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$2.38 ALL 192

-44.12%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$3.66 ALL 296

-37.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$12.58 ALL 1,016

30.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$9.03 ALL 730

-69.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$17.35 ALL 1,402

-46.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$1.99 ALL 160

18.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$2.53 ALL 204

-61.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.24 ALL 181

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.85 ALL 149

-18.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$1.07 ALL 86.0

19.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$1.33 ALL 107

-17.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$1.45 ALL 117

-51.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.80 ALL 64.6

-38.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.70 ALL 380

-11.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$10.65 ALL 860

64.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.62 ALL 131

-0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.11 ALL 170

31.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.49 ALL 39.30

77.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$22.01 ALL 1,778

145.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$3.77 ALL 305

-69.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$3.66 ALL 296

-85.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$18.39 ALL 1,485

-86.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$2.32 ALL 187

-37.50%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$33.8K ALL 2.7M

-37.77%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$30.1K ALL 2.4M

-10.63%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$97.4 ALL 7,868

-36.18%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$18.17 ALL 1,467

-33.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$20.16 ALL 1,629

-0.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$56.2 ALL 4,540

-33.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$9.80 ALL 792

-33.78%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$345 ALL 27.8K

113.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$8,360 ALL 675.2K

76.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$49.70 ALL 4,014

7.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$48.51 ALL 3,918

-49.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$118 ALL 9,524

-22.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$112 ALL 9,041

-35.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$476 ALL 38.5K

1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$315 ALL 25.5K

-2.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$799 ALL 64.5K

25.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$405 ALL 32.7K

56.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,911 ALL 154.3K

23.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,430 ALL 115.5K

11.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.16

7.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kelcyre: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Kelcyre

$315 26.4% 2.1% $6.5

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Kelcyre

$292 24.4% 24.4% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Kelcyre

$148 12.4% 35.9% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kelcyre

$136 11.4% 43.7% $41

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Kelcyre

$182 15.2% 135% $104

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kelcyre

$46 3.9% 25% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kelcyre

$76 6.4% 50.8% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $476 in Kelcyre. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $55 in Kelcyre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $292 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇱 Kelcyre

🕒 Local time

18:19 6:19 PM

12:19 12:19 PM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

6,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 ALL = 1.24 USD

100 ALL = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 80.77 ALL (100 ALL = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.89 ALL (100 ALL = 1.11 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Kelcyre 7,740 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kelcyre

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 Kelcyre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kelcyre costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,791 in Kelcyre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $476 in Kelcyre. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $345 in Kelcyre. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Kelcyre, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,194 in Kelcyre. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,194 in Kelcyre. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.