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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $909 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,334 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,760 in Kemaman, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Kemaman, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kemaman 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$2.73 MYR 11.18

-23.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$14.83 MYR 60.7

32.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.33 MYR 17.73

30.95%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$3.13 MYR 12.82

-42.17%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.48 MYR 1.96

60.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.39 MYR 1.58

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$3.42 MYR 13.98

-35.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$5.79 MYR 23.71

-34.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.89 MYR 7.72

8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.05 MYR 4.28

43.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.00 MYR 4.09

40.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.15 MYR 4.70

96.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$10.11 MYR 41.39

60.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.23 MYR 13.21

-10.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$9.43 MYR 38.61

-0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.57 MYR 14.59

-24.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.91 MYR 7.82

-42.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.79 MYR 11.41

-41.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.77 MYR 7.26

-17.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$2.15 MYR 8.82

-40.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$2.02 MYR 8.28

-47.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.44 MYR 5.88

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.51 MYR 2.08

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.44 MYR 18.15

-4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$18.95 MYR 77.6

-3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.68 MYR 10.99

-39.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$4.61 MYR 18.86

-37.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.71 MYR 2.90

23.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$11.71 MYR 47.94

359.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.22 MYR 4.98

-4.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.36 MYR 1.46

61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$9.25 MYR 37.85

-74.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.49 MYR 2.00

195.92%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$42.2K MYR 172.5K

-50.15%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

-19.81%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$49.20 MYR 201

29.37%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.44 MYR 34.55

52.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$26.89 MYR 110

-23.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$35.26 MYR 144

10.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$7.08 MYR 29.00

-44.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.84 MYR 19.82

35.95%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$123 MYR 503

537.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

38.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$51.2 MYR 209

7.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$30.30 MYR 124

-18.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$79.2 MYR 324

18.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$86.5 MYR 354

-14.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$402 MYR 1,645

22.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$335 MYR 1,372

-14.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$671 MYR 2,746

32.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$535 MYR 2,189

-2.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$2,067 MYR 8,461

-4.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$1,025 MYR 4,194

40.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.51

23.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $402 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Kemaman. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $245 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

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Kemaman, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,363 in Kemaman. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $123 in Kemaman. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kemaman, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kemaman 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. Kemaman costs $909 versus $932 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 Kemaman. 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.