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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $728 in Koysinjaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,075 in Koysinjaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,422 in Koysinjaq, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Koysinjaq, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Koysinjaq are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Koysinjaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.23 IQD 2,924

-12.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$12.07 IQD 15.8K

55.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.94 IQD 11.7K

-11.41%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.48 IQD 1,945

29.05%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.40 IQD 520

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.20 IQD 263

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.02 IQD 2,653

9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.16 IQD 2,830

75.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.18 IQD 1,551

38.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.76 IQD 993

113.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.12 IQD 1,473

5.36%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.49 IQD 1,955

34.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$7.53 IQD 9,862

111.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.86 IQD 5,060

-22.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$9.10 IQD 11.9K

18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.75 IQD 981

248.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.17 IQD 1,533

4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.13 IQD 1,476

50.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.55 IQD 720

187.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.55 IQD 718

140.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.55 IQD 716

112.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.36 IQD 478

86.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.37 IQD 481

51.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.35 IQD 3,079

92.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$12.18 IQD 16.0K

49.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.43 IQD 1,878

27.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.92 IQD 2,516

68.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.37 IQD 482

140.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$31.44 IQD 41.2K

-38.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.56 IQD 2,050

-13.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.79 IQD 1,041

70.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.85 IQD 5,041

114.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.70 IQD 918

81.43%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

8.54%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

22.87%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$99.2 IQD 130.0K

-29.31%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$17.85 IQD 23.4K

-22.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$29.90 IQD 39.2K

-41.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$36.01 IQD 47.2K

15.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$16.61 IQD 21.8K

-60.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$11.64 IQD 15.3K

-50.34%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$64.4 IQD 84.3K

375.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$1,128 IQD 1.5M

1214.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$15.12 IQD 19.8K

259.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$19.48 IQD 25.5K

34.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$83.2 IQD 109.0K

1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$19.18 IQD 25.1K

261.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$240 IQD 314.6K

76.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$177 IQD 231.7K

34.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$584 IQD 765.5K

41.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$344 IQD 450.2K

49.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Koysinjaq: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $240 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: $243 vs $161 – 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 17% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,093 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $64.4 in Koysinjaq. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $728 in Koysinjaq, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Koysinjaq costs $728 versus $852 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.