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 $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $744 in Khemisset, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,165 in Khemisset, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,586 in Khemisset, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Khemisset, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Khemisset are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Khemisset 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$1.60 MAD 14.73

31.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$38.00 MAD 351

-48.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$7.39 MAD 68.3

-20.84%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$0.82 MAD 7.57

114.63%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.88 MAD 8.16

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.21 MAD 1.94

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$5.31 MAD 49.07

-53.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$4.43 MAD 40.94

-12.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$0.84 MAD 7.73

126.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$0.47 MAD 4.35

255.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.49 MAD 13.78

-9.40%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.94 MAD 17.93

10.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$10.42 MAD 96.2

52.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$7.45 MAD 68.8

-62.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$8.70 MAD 80.4

21.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$1.01 MAD 9.37

135.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.15 MAD 10.59

-6.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$0.79 MAD 7.26

92.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$0.44 MAD 4.08

240.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$0.62 MAD 5.73

106.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$0.64 MAD 5.89

71.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.48 MAD 4.47

43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.62 MAD 5.72

-20.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.37 MAD 40.32

-2.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$9.52 MAD 88.0

76.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$3.90 MAD 36.06

-57.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$4.14 MAD 38.20

-32.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$0.55 MAD 5.04

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

$20.36 MAD 188

169.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$0.77 MAD 7.12

55.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$0.85 MAD 7.84

-36.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$9.96 MAD 92.0

-76.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.47 MAD 13.60

-2.72%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$35.3K MAD 326.5K

-40.37%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$30.6K MAD 282.2K

-11.21%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$35.74 MAD 330

81.14%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$6.60 MAD 61.0

99.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$40.32 MAD 372

-51.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$13.51 MAD 125

192.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

$20.10 MAD 186

-81.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$7.33 MAD 67.7

-9.69%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$97.5 MAD 900

725.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$6,318 MAD 58.4K

139.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$37.56 MAD 347

45.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$52.1 MAD 481

-51.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$101 MAD 931

-8.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$108 MAD 999

-30.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$242 MAD 2,238

92.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$160 MAD 1,475

76.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$428 MAD 3,952

108.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$264 MAD 2,438

97.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$1,214 MAD 11.2K

63.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$876 MAD 8,093

66.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$409 MAD 3,782

44.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.67

51.77%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Khemisset: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $242 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 45% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Khemisset. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $198 in Khemisset – so Khemisset 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 Khemisset: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 24% 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,115 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 $805 per month in Chiang Mai and $97.5 in Khemisset. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Khemisset, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Khemisset 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. Khemisset costs $744 versus $920 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.