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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $970 in Kerak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,481 in Kerak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,992 in Kerak, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Kerak, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Kerak are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kerak 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$2.80 JOD 1.98

-25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$68.2 JOD 48.28

-70.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$5.66 JOD 4.01

2.30%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$0.68 JOD 0.48

169.12%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.51 JOD 0.36

52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.34 JOD 0.24

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$8.29 JOD 5.87

-71.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$11.02 JOD 7.80

-66.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.45 JOD 1.03

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.34 JOD 0.24

370.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.83 JOD 0.59

71.08%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.66 JOD 1.17

31.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$6.99 JOD 4.95

127.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.17 JOD 2.95

-26.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$12.54 JOD 8.87

-21.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.43 JOD 1.01

83.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.38 JOD 0.98

-20.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.44 JOD 1.02

13.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.40 JOD 0.28

282.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.89 JOD 0.63

39.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.89 JOD 0.63

26.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.65 JOD 0.46

13.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.61 JOD 0.43

-18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$3.97 JOD 2.81

7.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$20.86 JOD 14.76

-13.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$5.05 JOD 3.57

-66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$5.11 JOD 3.62

-43.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.64 JOD 0.45

92.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.37 JOD 0.97

-61.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.13 JOD 5.04

-66.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.68 JOD 1.19

-14.29%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$35.7K JOD 25.3K

-40.70%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$34.3K JOD 24.3K

-20.51%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$112 JOD 79.1

-41.93%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$15.51 JOD 10.97

-13.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$28.63 JOD 20.26

-27.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$43.03 JOD 30.45

-6.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$11.45 JOD 8.10

-41.40%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$140 JOD 98.8

463.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$3,448 JOD 2,440

338.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$63.6 JOD 45.02

-11.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$83.5 JOD 59.1

-70.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$125 JOD 88.5

-25.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$88.4 JOD 62.6

-15.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$180 JOD 127

169.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$222 JOD 157

29.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$286 JOD 202

218.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$330 JOD 234

60.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$216 JOD 153

818.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$278 JOD 197

422.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$516 JOD 365

17.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.81

-18.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kerak: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 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 17% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $68.0 in Kerak. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $222 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 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,456 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $68.0 in Kerak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Kerak – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Kerak at $970. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kerak it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $970 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.