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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $957 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,416 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,876 in Kemaman, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 9% cheaper than Kemaman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kemaman 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.52 MYR 10.20

-21.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$14.10 MYR 57.2

33.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.70 MYR 14.99

109.46%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.29 MYR 9.30

-16.16%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.49 MYR 1.99

61.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.34 MYR 1.38

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$4.29 MYR 17.40

-48.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.46 MYR 22.16

-32.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.87 MYR 7.59

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.00 MYR 4.06

63.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.98 MYR 3.97

21.43%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.16 MYR 4.72

72.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$14.17 MYR 57.4

12.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.72 MYR 15.07

-18.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.71 MYR 39.36

11.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.97 MYR 16.11

-30.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.75 MYR 7.10

-32.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$3.29 MYR 13.36

-50.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.52 MYR 10.23

-39.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.70 MYR 6.90

-18.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.00 MYR 4.07

19.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.07 MYR 4.34

-34.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.49 MYR 1.99

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.33 MYR 17.58

5.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$20.19 MYR 81.9

-17.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$4.38 MYR 17.77

-58.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$5.44 MYR 22.06

-41.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.74 MYR 3.02

18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$11.70 MYR 47.45

60.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.15 MYR 4.65

18.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.10 MYR 4.45

21.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.23 MYR 17.15

85.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.49 MYR 2.01

151.02%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$44.0K MYR 178.3K

-50.82%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$31.8K MYR 129.1K

-29.16%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$74.5 MYR 302

-5.33%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.68 MYR 39.23

41.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$27.84 MYR 113

-37.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$37.27 MYR 151

10.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.86 MYR 23.78

18.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.73 MYR 23.23

0.70%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$117 MYR 476

161.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,262 MYR 17.3K

242.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$108 MYR 440

-48.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$27.79 MYR 113

-5.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$75.3 MYR 305

13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$78.4 MYR 318

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$389 MYR 1,578

10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$265 MYR 1,073

-9.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$655 MYR 2,656

24.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$467 MYR 1,894

9.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,765 MYR 7,157

12.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$896 MYR 3,631

65.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

26.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $389 in Kemaman. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Kemaman. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $274 in Kemaman – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kemaman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kemaman costs about 10% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,435 in Kemaman. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $117 in Kemaman. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Kemaman, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $957 in Kemaman, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $957 in Kemaman. 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, Kemaman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.