Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kone

For one person, living is cheaper in Kone: $450 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 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

Kone

🇳🇨 New Caledonia

$450

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Kone

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $450 in Kone, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Kone $450

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $673 in Kone, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Kone $673

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $897 in Kone, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Kone $897

Chiang Mai costs about 108% more than Kone, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kone are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kone 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$52.3 CFPF 5,556

-63.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.46

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.03

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

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

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.18

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$1.49 CFPF 158

-67.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$17.16 CFPF 1,824

-75.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$14.79 CFPF 1,573

18.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

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

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.88

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

$21.1K ฿710.5K

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

$26.9K ฿909.0K

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$169 CFPF 18.0K

-63.23%

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$95.3 CFPF 10.1K

-78.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$56.2 CFPF 5,971

-33.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$110 CFPF 11.7K

-51.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$71.2 CFPF 7,568

28.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,427

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$562 CFPF 59.8K

-14.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,499 CFPF 159.3K

-32.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

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

$2,902 CFPF 308.5K

-79.68%

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 Kone: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Kone

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Kone

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Kone

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kone

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Kone

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kone

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kone

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $562 in Kone. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Kone are about 4.9 times higher, 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 $19 in Chiang Mai versus $52 in Kone. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $47 in Kone – so Kone wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇳🇨 Kone

🕒 Local time

19:07 7:07 PM

23:07 11:07 PM

4 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

5,500

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.41 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.41 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.43 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Kone 8,430 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kone

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 Kone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 108% more than Kone, 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 $674 in Kone. 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 $562 in Kone.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $450 in Kone. That makes Kone about 52% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 394% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kone, where all-in costs run around $450, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Kone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $450 in Kone 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.