Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen

For one person, living is cheaper in Khon Kaen: $608 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Khon Kaen

🇹🇭 Thailand

$608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Khon Kaen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Khon Kaen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $608 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Khon Kaen $608

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,024 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Khon Kaen $1,024

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,440 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Khon Kaen $1,440

Chiang Mai costs about 54% more than Khon Kaen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Khon Kaen 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.04 ฿103

-26.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$29.92 ฿1,010

-36.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$5.93 ฿200

-6.41%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.46 ฿49.35

14.38%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.59 ฿19.81

8.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.29 ฿9.81

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.72 ฿58.0

37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$6.73 ฿227

-45.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.46

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.03

$0.86 ฿29.14

54.65%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.47 ฿83.4

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.79

$0.87 ฿29.32

11.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.50 ฿50.6

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.18

$1.50 ฿50.6

-26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.62 ฿20.83

14.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.52 ฿17.69

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.65 ฿55.5

-2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$1.20 ฿40.55

-55.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.88

$1.32 ฿44.66

9.85%

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

$21.1K ฿710.5K

$44.6K ฿1.5M

-52.76%

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

$26.9K ฿909.0K

$26.5K ฿895.4K

1.51%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$94.7 ฿3,194

-34.32%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$17.99 ฿607

-32.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$29.73 ฿1,003

-32.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$59.5 ฿2,008

-37.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.85 ฿197

10.94%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.2K

$8,970 ฿302.6K

64.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$30.04 ฿1,014

77.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$34.83 ฿1,175

-29.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$73.8 ฿2,489

24.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,427

$90.5 ฿3,054

-20.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$280 ฿9,442

72.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$156 ฿5,262

98.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$730 ฿24.6K

37.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$480 ฿16.2K

31.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Khon Kaen: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Khon Kaen

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Khon Kaen

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Khon Kaen

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Khon Kaen

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Khon Kaen

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Khon Kaen

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Khon Kaen

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $280 in Khon Kaen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $30 in Khon Kaen. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $45 in Khon Kaen – so Khon Kaen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Khon Kaen

🕒 Local time

14:41 2:41 PM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

114,459

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chiang Mai Khon Kaen 480 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Khon Kaen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 54% more than Khon Kaen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $913 in Khon Kaen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Khon Kaen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $280 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $608 in Khon Kaen. That makes Khon Kaen about 35% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 426% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $608 in Khon Kaen to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.