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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,137 in Koura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,747 in Koura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,357 in Koura, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Koura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Koura are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Koura 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$10.94 LBP 979.3K

-82.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$61.0 LBP 5.5M

-69.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.96 LBP 712.2K

-6.03%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.29 LBP 294.4K

-38.60%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.57 LBP 140.2K

-45.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

-59.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$3.47 LBP 310.6K

-38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.93 LBP 440.9K

-27.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.70 LBP 152.4K

-2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.79 LBP 71.0K

98.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.74 LBP 155.8K

-31.61%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.20 LBP 286.4K

-39.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$11.34 LBP 1.0M

42.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$9.37 LBP 838.2K

-68.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.65 LBP 1.0M

-6.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.82 LBP 163.1K

48.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.47 LBP 131.7K

-20.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.13 LBP 101.3K

49.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.06 LBP 94.7K

50.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.00 LBP 89.2K

38.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.04 LBP 92.7K

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.89 LBP 79.3K

-24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.48 LBP 221.9K

87.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$9.88 LBP 884.6K

78.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.22 LBP 109.6K

52.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.20 LBP 197.2K

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$2.06 LBP 184.3K

-57.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$5.04 LBP 450.9K

-73.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.23 LBP 109.8K

8.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$20.17 LBP 1.8M

-59.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.94 LBP 84.2K

29.79%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-38.20%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$28.1K LBP 2.5B

-19.88%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$212 LBP 19.0M

-66.73%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$37.90 LBP 3.4M

-62.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$37.12 LBP 3.3M

-52.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$25.12 LBP 2.2M

67.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.87 LBP 704.5K

-24.78%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$299 LBP 26.8M

3.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,434 LBP 396.8M

235.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$71.9 LBP 6.4M

-22.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$44.75 LBP 4.0M

-41.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$122 LBP 10.9M

-32.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$92.6 LBP 8.3M

-23.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$246 LBP 22.0M

75.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$200 LBP 17.9M

19.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$445 LBP 39.9M

84.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$352 LBP 31.5M

45.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,156 LBP 103.5M

65.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$844 LBP 75.5M

73.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$594 LBP 53.2M

-2.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

-55.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Koura: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $246 in Koura. 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 3% higher in Koura, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $61.0 in Koura. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $234 in Koura – so Koura 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 Koura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koura costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,706 in Koura. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $61.0 in Koura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Koura – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,137 in Koura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,137 in Koura. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Koura makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.