Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kunming, Yunnan Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kunming, Yunnan

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 8.6% cheaper than Kunming, Yunnan without rent, and 5.5% more expensive with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 0.9% cheaper than Kunming, Yunnan without rent, and 8.4% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Kunming, Yunnan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$2.73 ¥19.6
-26.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$27.92 ¥200
-32.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$7.07 ¥50.7
8.49%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$3.01 ¥21.57
-34.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.46 ¥3.32
78.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.25 ¥1.78
32.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$1.35 ¥9.69
57.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$2.04 ¥14.6
82.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Kunming, Yunnan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.99 ¥14.3
-17.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$1.69 ¥12.1
-7.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$1.28 ¥9.22
-7.03%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$1.77 ¥12.69
11.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$6.78 ¥48.63
135.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$4.2 ¥30.16
-25.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$10.97 ¥78.7
1.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$1.27 ¥9.1
117.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$0.97 ¥6.97
25.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$1.36 ¥9.79
25.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$1.1 ¥7.86
40.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$0.34 ¥2.43
294.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$0.86 ¥6.15
40.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$1.58 ¥11.3
-54.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.63 ¥4.5
-15.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$2.05 ¥14.7
130.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$6.21 ¥44.52
196.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$0.72 ¥5.15
148.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$1.51 ¥10.82
112.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Kunming, Yunnan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.62 ¥4.44
51.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$34.53 ¥248
-45.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$1.13 ¥8.11
25.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$0.26 ¥1.86
419.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$14 ¥100
-43.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.12 ¥8.05
11.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$20.5K ¥147.1K
3.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$17.2K ¥123.5K
26.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Kunming, Yunnan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$50.5 ¥362
39.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$15.33 ¥110
-10.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$16.36 ¥117
7.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Kunming, Yunnan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$68.7 ¥493
-39.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$26.55 ¥190
-74.01%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$6.36 ¥45.61
-8.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Kunming, Yunnan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$420 ¥3,010
-26.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$13K ¥93.3K
13.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Kunming, Yunnan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$69.2 ¥496
-19.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$33.41 ¥240
-20.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$63.1 ¥453
34.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$104 ¥748
-31.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Kunming, Yunnan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$282 ¥2,026
53.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$210 ¥1,508
11.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$505 ¥3,626
62.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$349 ¥2,504
42.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$3,306 ¥23.7K
-34.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$1,358 ¥9,739
13.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Kunming, Yunnan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$818 ¥5,864
-13.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
4.45
12.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Kunming, Yunnan: October 29, 2025

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