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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $733 in Khemisset, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,081 in Khemisset, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,428 in Khemisset, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Khemisset, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Khemisset are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Khemisset 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.96 MAD 18.13

1.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$16.68 MAD 154

12.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.14 MAD 66.1

8.54%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.96 MAD 8.89

100.00%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.39 MAD 3.63

102.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.23 MAD 2.14

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.94 MAD 36.43

-43.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.37 MAD 31.20

8.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.57 MAD 5.29

189.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.42 MAD 3.91

288.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.50 MAD 13.86

-20.67%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.01 MAD 18.59

-0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.10 MAD 93.4

58.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.06 MAD 65.3

-57.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.87 MAD 82.1

22.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.06 MAD 9.83

160.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.89 MAD 8.23

32.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.68 MAD 6.31

141.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.46 MAD 4.22

230.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.65 MAD 5.99

112.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.63 MAD 5.85

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.50 MAD 4.65

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.61 MAD 5.60

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.42 MAD 40.85

3.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$9.98 MAD 92.3

65.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$3.19 MAD 29.48

-42.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.23 MAD 29.87

-0.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.47 MAD 4.35

87.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$16.30 MAD 151

14.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.56 MAD 5.22

142.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.48 MAD 4.44

179.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.35 MAD 40.26

80.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.59 MAD 14.73

-22.64%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$37.3K MAD 345.5K

-42.10%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$23.9K MAD 220.8K

-5.55%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$82.2 MAD 760

-14.18%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$6.43 MAD 59.5

112.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$39.14 MAD 362

-55.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$13.67 MAD 126

202.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$23.14 MAD 214

-69.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.46 MAD 69.0

-22.65%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$96.9 MAD 896

217.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,537 MAD 60.5K

123.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$31.56 MAD 292

76.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$46.01 MAD 426

-43.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$88.8 MAD 821

-3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$81.3 MAD 752

-11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$284 MAD 2,628

51.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$176 MAD 1,631

35.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$499 MAD 4,617

63.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$307 MAD 2,836

66.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,567 MAD 14.5K

26.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$938 MAD 8,674

58.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$397 MAD 3,668

56.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.35

14.94%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Khemisset: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $284 in Khemisset. 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 56% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $17.00 in Khemisset. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $187 – making Khemisset the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Khemisset: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Khemisset, 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 $1,100 in Khemisset. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Khemisset, 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 $96.9 in Khemisset. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $733 in Khemisset, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Khemisset costs $733 versus $869 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 Khemisset. 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.