Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Koh Phi Phi

Name: Koh Phi Phi
Address: Koh Phi Phi, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,043 in Koh Phi Phi, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Koh Phi Phi
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Koh Phi Phi Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Koh Phi Phi

🇹🇭 Thailand

$2,043

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Koh Phi Phi

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 Koh Phi Phi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,043 in Koh Phi Phi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Koh Phi Phi $2,043

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,678 in Koh Phi Phi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Koh Phi Phi $3,678

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,312 in Koh Phi Phi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Koh Phi Phi $5,312

Chiang Mai is about 54% cheaper than Koh Phi Phi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Koh Phi Phi is 50% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$6.72 ฿227

-66.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$47.74 ฿1,612

-60.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$12.93 ฿437

-57.08%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$4.11 ฿139

-59.37%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$1.41 ฿47.52

-54.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.70 ฿23.67

-55.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$3.84 ฿130

-38.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$5.38 ฿182

-31.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.96 ฿66.2

-0.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.68 ฿56.7

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$1.90 ฿64.1

-30.00%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.56 ฿86.5

-10.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$23.34 ฿788

-29.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$4.01 ฿135

-30.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$13.28 ฿448

-29.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$3.43 ฿116

-31.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.92 ฿64.9

-49.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.74 ฿92.7

-41.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$2.54 ฿85.7

-40.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$1.73 ฿58.3

-26.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$1.62 ฿54.9

-32.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$1.32 ฿44.73

-46.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.62 ฿21.10

-20.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$5.10 ฿172

-18.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$22.16 ฿748

-20.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.17 ฿73.3

-25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.43 ฿116

-18.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$2.09 ฿70.6

-58.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$71.0 ฿2,398

-23.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$4.24 ฿143

-72.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$1.42 ฿48.11

-62.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$5.28 ฿178

-54.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$2.04 ฿69.0

-28.92%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$37.0K ฿1.2M

-43.02%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$37.0K ฿1.2M

-27.19%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$109 ฿3,695

-43.18%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$12.12 ฿409

0.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$18.87 ฿637

6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$79.1 ฿2,670

-52.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$13.31 ฿449

-71.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$9.08 ฿307

-28.52%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$576 ฿19.4K

27.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$13.7K ฿461.9K

7.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$65.4 ฿2,209

-18.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$29.76 ฿1,005

-17.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$101 ฿3,400

-9.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$92.4 ฿3,119

-22.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,585 ฿53.5K

-69.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$1,085 ฿36.6K

-71.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$4,349 ฿146.9K

-76.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$3,170 ฿107.0K

-80.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$9,067 ฿306.2K

-73.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$6,673 ฿225.3K

-76.19%

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 Koh Phi Phi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Koh Phi Phi

$1.1K 53.1% 251% $776

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Koh Phi Phi

$320 15.7% 36.4% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Koh Phi Phi

$130 6.4% 19.4% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Koh Phi Phi

$140 6.9% 48.6% $46

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Koh Phi Phi

$180 8.8% 132% $103

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Koh Phi Phi

$91 4.4% 47.9% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Koh Phi Phi

$97 4.8% 93.4% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,585 in Koh Phi Phi. 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 $48 in Koh Phi Phi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $320 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Koh Phi Phi

🕒 Local time

17:06 5:06 PM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

2,500

💱 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

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Koh Phi Phi 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Koh Phi Phi

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 Koh Phi Phi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koh Phi Phi costs about 118% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. 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 $3,065 in Koh Phi Phi. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,585 in Koh Phi Phi.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $576 in Koh Phi Phi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Koh Phi Phi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $2,043 in Koh Phi Phi. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $2,043 in Koh Phi Phi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 118% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.