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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $894 in Kerak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,348 in Kerak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,803 in Kerak, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Kerak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Kerak are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kerak 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$2.84 JOD 2.01

-30.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$50.3 JOD 35.59

-63.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.55 JOD 3.93

34.77%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.70 JOD 0.50

188.57%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.51 JOD 0.36

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.33 JOD 0.24

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$5.47 JOD 3.88

-60.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$6.85 JOD 4.85

-47.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.44 JOD 1.02

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.34 JOD 0.24

361.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.86 JOD 0.61

38.37%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.70 JOD 1.21

14.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$6.61 JOD 4.68

144.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.16 JOD 2.94

-28.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.34 JOD 8.03

-3.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.38 JOD 0.98

96.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.42 JOD 1.01

-17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.45 JOD 1.03

16.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.41 JOD 0.29

290.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.88 JOD 0.63

56.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.72 JOD 0.51

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.65 JOD 0.46

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.62 JOD 0.44

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.54 JOD 2.51

31.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$21.38 JOD 15.14

-17.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$4.78 JOD 3.38

-61.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$5.38 JOD 3.81

-38.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.69 JOD 0.49

97.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.39 JOD 0.98

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.99 JOD 4.95

17.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-12.86%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$26.6K JOD 18.8K

-19.78%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$32.7K JOD 23.2K

-31.15%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$105 JOD 74.3

-32.64%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$17.10 JOD 12.10

-17.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$27.70 JOD 19.61

-36.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$41.61 JOD 29.45

1.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$11.41 JOD 8.08

-48.12%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$139 JOD 98.5

121.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$3,397 JOD 2,405

337.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$61.5 JOD 43.55

-9.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$56.8 JOD 40.19

-54.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$116 JOD 81.9

-28.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$80.9 JOD 57.3

-12.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$185 JOD 131

133.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$227 JOD 161

5.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$283 JOD 200

190.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$330 JOD 234

55.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$211 JOD 149

807.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$282 JOD 200

420.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$517 JOD 366

11.99%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kerak: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $185 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 12% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $50.0 in Kerak. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $218 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 4% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,341 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $50.0 in Kerak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $894 in Kerak, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $894 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.