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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $883 in Kerak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,360 in Kerak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,837 in Kerak, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Kerak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Kerak are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kerak 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.87 JOD 2.03

-32.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$49.03 JOD 34.70

-61.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.49 JOD 3.89

42.44%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.73 JOD 0.52

167.12%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.51 JOD 0.36

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.37 JOD 0.26

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$5.47 JOD 3.87

-61.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$6.93 JOD 4.90

-46.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.44 JOD 1.02

18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.34 JOD 0.24

379.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.84 JOD 0.59

35.71%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.72 JOD 1.22

12.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.59 JOD 4.67

145.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.20 JOD 2.97

-25.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.66 JOD 8.25

-6.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.39 JOD 0.98

97.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.43 JOD 1.01

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.40 JOD 0.99

15.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.43 JOD 0.31

269.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.87 JOD 0.62

60.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.72 JOD 0.51

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.62 JOD 0.44

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.60 JOD 0.42

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.45 JOD 2.44

35.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$21.05 JOD 14.90

-11.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$4.62 JOD 3.27

-61.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$5.44 JOD 3.85

-40.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.74 JOD 0.53

90.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.39 JOD 0.98

-7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.01 JOD 4.96

11.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.39 JOD 0.98

-8.63%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.5K JOD 19.4K

-22.55%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$31.8K JOD 22.5K

-30.13%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$105 JOD 74.0

-33.96%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$17.02 JOD 12.04

-17.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$28.66 JOD 20.28

-37.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$43.00 JOD 30.43

-4.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.19 JOD 7.92

-47.10%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$139 JOD 98.7

114.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,405 JOD 2,410

339.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$61.0 JOD 43.18

-10.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$57.2 JOD 40.47

-53.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$112 JOD 79.6

-24.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$81.7 JOD 57.9

-13.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$180 JOD 127

137.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$224 JOD 159

5.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$277 JOD 196

189.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$326 JOD 231

58.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$211 JOD 149

835.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$282 JOD 200

422.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$513 JOD 363

20.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

-31.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kerak: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $180 in Kerak. 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 20% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $49.00 in Kerak. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $217 in Kerak – so Kerak 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 Kerak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kerak costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,324 in Kerak. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $49.00 in Kerak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Kerak – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $883 in Kerak, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $883 in Kerak. 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, Kerak makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.