Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Krabi

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,006 in Krabi, rent and utilities included – about $840 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Krabi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Krabi
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Krabi Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Krabi

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,006

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,006 in Krabi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Krabi $1,006

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,391 in Krabi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Krabi $1,391

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,775 in Krabi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Krabi $1,775

Chiang Mai is about 7% cheaper than Krabi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chiang Mai and Krabi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Krabi 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$2.94 ฿99.4

-23.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$18.85 ฿637

0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$8.48 ฿286

-34.55%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.75 ฿59.2

-4.57%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$1.05 ฿35.46

-39.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.43 ฿14.56

-27.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.79 ฿60.5

31.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.32 ฿78.5

57.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$2.25 ฿76.0

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.50 ฿50.6

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$2.07 ฿69.9

-35.75%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.88 ฿63.6

21.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$16.05 ฿542

2.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.76 ฿93.2

0.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$7.80 ฿264

19.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.37 ฿80.2

-0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.03 ฿34.91

-5.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.21 ฿74.7

-27.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.44 ฿48.56

4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$1.39 ฿46.97

-7.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$1.29 ฿43.51

-14.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$1.47 ฿49.51

-51.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.51 ฿17.35

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.53 ฿153

-8.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$10.43 ฿352

67.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.74 ฿58.9

-7.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.46 ฿83.1

13.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.93 ฿31.28

-6.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$2.34 ฿79.1

-50.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$1.78 ฿60.2

-70.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$6.06 ฿205

-60.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.37 ฿46.34

5.84%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$21.7K ฿733.6K

-3.06%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$24.4K ฿825.4K

10.23%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$69.1 ฿2,333

-10.02%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$11.47 ฿387

6.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$24.42 ฿825

-17.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$61.9 ฿2,090

-39.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$9.09 ฿307

-58.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$7.33 ฿248

-11.46%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$8,136 ฿274.7K

81.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$14.70 ฿496

263.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$15.01 ฿507

64.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$74.3 ฿2,509

23.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$74.5 ฿2,515

-3.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$339 ฿11.5K

42.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$414 ฿14.0K

-25.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$700 ฿23.6K

43.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$509 ฿17.2K

24.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,186 ฿40.1K

99.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,017 ฿34.4K

56.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$708 ฿23.9K

-16.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.4

-24.73%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Krabi: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Krabi

$414 41.1% 34% $105

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Krabi

$226 22.5% 3.5% $8.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Krabi

$80 8% 26.1% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Krabi

$105 10.4% 11.1% $11

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Krabi

$90 8.9% 15.4% $12

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Krabi

$15 * 1.5% 75.6% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Krabi

$77 7.6% 52.2% $26

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $339 in Krabi. 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 20% higher in Krabi. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $19 in Krabi. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Krabi – so Krabi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Krabi

🕒 Local time

02:59 2:59 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

50,000

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Krabi 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Krabi

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 Krabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Krabi costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. 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 $1,509 in Krabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Krabi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $339 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,006 in Krabi. That makes Chiang Mai about 7% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Krabi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,006 in Krabi. 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 $1,006 in Krabi. 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.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Krabi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.