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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 21.4% cheaper than Lac without rent, and 22.7% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 16.4% cheaper than Lac without rent, and 17.7% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Lac
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 ฿64.8
$9.54 ALL 790
-78.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.59 ฿594
$36.38 ALL 3,014
-48.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 ฿239
$7.11 ALL 589
5.20%
Cappuccino
$2.00 ฿63.8
$1.89 ALL 157
5.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ฿27.08
$1.59 ALL 132
-46.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.24
$0.87 ALL 72.2
-59.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿70.7
$2.30 ALL 190
-3.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿120
$3.34 ALL 277
12.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Lac
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ฿54.9
$2.02 ALL 168
-14.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿52.2
$0.85 ALL 70.6
91.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ฿37.04
$1.95 ALL 162
-40.51%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿63.3
$3.03 ALL 251
-34.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.93 ฿509
$9.41 ALL 779
69.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ฿101
$7.89 ALL 654
-59.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿349
$13.21 ALL 1,094
-17.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ฿84.6
$1.72 ALL 142
54.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.09
$2.38 ALL 197
-48.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿54.3
$1.43 ALL 119
18.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿50.8
$1.34 ALL 111
18.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿42.33
$1.05 ALL 86.8
25.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿37.36
$1.24 ALL 103
-5.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ฿21.67
$1.10 ALL 91.4
-38.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿17.81
$0.74 ALL 61.0
-24.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 ฿144
$3.99 ALL 331
13.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.07 ฿610
$9.93 ALL 822
92.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿56.6
$1.73 ALL 143
2.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿102
$1.19 ALL 98.8
167.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Lac
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿30.78
$0.45 ALL 37.38
113.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.90 ฿604
$19.09 ALL 1,581
-1.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ฿43.41
$3.55 ALL 294
-61.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.23
$3.18 ALL 264
-57.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 ฿257
$17.73 ALL 1,469
-54.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.74
$2.18 ALL 181
-43.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿676.6K
$35.2K ALL 2.9M
-39.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿695.5K
$25.8K ALL 2.1M
-15.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Lac
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.2 ฿2,277
$67.7 ALL 5,608
5.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.09 ฿450
$17.34 ALL 1,436
-18.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ฿559
$16.13 ALL 1,336
8.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Lac
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ฿1,345
$55.5 ALL 4,594
-24.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88 ฿220
$25.39 ALL 2,103
-72.90%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ฿190
$8.14 ALL 674
-27.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Lac
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$307 ฿9,827
$95.7 ALL 7,925
221.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿473.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Lac
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 ฿1,780
$46.20 ALL 3,828
20.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ฿856
$53.1 ALL 4,403
-49.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 ฿2,661
$93.5 ALL 7,748
-11.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 ฿2,241
$139 ALL 11.5K
-49.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Lac
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.7K
$458 ALL 38.0K
-6.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$237 ฿7,580
$341 ALL 28.2K
-30.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 ฿25.6K
$601 ALL 49.8K
33.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 ฿16.1K
$438 ALL 36.3K
14.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,061 ฿65.9K
$1,977 ALL 163.8K
4.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,533 ฿49.0K
$1,165 ALL 96.5K
31.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Lac
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 ฿20.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
4
25.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Lac: February 28, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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