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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $731 in Koysinjaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,076 in Koysinjaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,422 in Koysinjaq, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Koysinjaq, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Koysinjaq are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Koysinjaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.23 IQD 2,924

-11.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

53.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.79 IQD 11.5K

-11.83%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.57 IQD 2,054

22.29%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.39 IQD 514

102.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.17 IQD 228

111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.93 IQD 2,524

14.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.08 IQD 2,720

75.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.12 IQD 1,470

47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.80 IQD 1,046

103.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.16 IQD 1,524

2.59%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.56 IQD 2,046

28.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.54 IQD 9,868

111.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.88 IQD 5,076

-21.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.08 IQD 11.9K

19.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.78 IQD 1,027

253.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.13 IQD 1,485

4.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.12 IQD 1,462

46.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.55 IQD 715

176.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.59 IQD 770

133.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.59 IQD 777

101.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.40 IQD 522

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.36 IQD 474

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.34 IQD 3,062

95.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$12.39 IQD 16.2K

33.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.43 IQD 1,867

27.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.95 IQD 2,550

64.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.37 IQD 479

137.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

-40.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.56 IQD 2,042

-12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.79 IQD 1,031

69.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.74 IQD 4,900

109.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.65 IQD 856

89.23%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

12.42%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$18.4K IQD 24.0M

22.80%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$99.7 IQD 130.5K

-29.24%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

-21.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

-42.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$37.44 IQD 49.0K

10.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.56 IQD 21.7K

-57.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

-50.09%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$64.1 IQD 83.9K

379.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,146 IQD 1.5M

1174.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$15.58 IQD 20.4K

258.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

38.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$83.3 IQD 109.1K

2.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$18.90 IQD 24.7K

282.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$246 IQD 322.2K

74.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$176 IQD 230.1K

35.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$591 IQD 773.3K

38.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$349 IQD 456.5K

46.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

-11.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Koysinjaq: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $246 in Koysinjaq. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Koysinjaq. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $162 – making Koysinjaq the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Koysinjaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Koysinjaq, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,096 in Koysinjaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Koysinjaq, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $64.1 in Koysinjaq. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $731 in Koysinjaq, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Koysinjaq costs $731 versus $869 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 Koysinjaq. 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.