Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Lac

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,088 in Lac, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Lac
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Lac Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Lac

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,088

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,088 in Lac, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Lac $1,088

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,673 in Lac, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Lac $1,673

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,257 in Lac, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Lac $2,257

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Lac, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Lac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Lac 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$9.79 ALL 793

-78.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$38.42 ALL 3,114

-51.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$7.58 ALL 614

-26.12%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.84 ALL 149

-9.78%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$1.84 ALL 149

-64.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$0.64 ALL 51.9

-53.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$2.49 ALL 202

-6.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.39 ALL 274

8.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.98 ALL 160

2.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$0.99 ALL 80.2

42.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$2.03 ALL 165

-31.53%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$2.71 ALL 220

-12.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$9.79 ALL 794

68.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$8.65 ALL 701

-69.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$14.32 ALL 1,161

-37.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.90 ALL 154

26.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$2.23 ALL 181

-53.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$1.46 ALL 118

13.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.59 ALL 129

-1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$1.06 ALL 85.7

16.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$1.30 ALL 105

-16.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$1.20 ALL 97.3

-36.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$0.78 ALL 63.3

-34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$4.36 ALL 353

-5.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$7.93 ALL 643

126.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$1.74 ALL 141

-6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$1.28 ALL 104

120.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$0.48 ALL 38.55

93.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

$19.63 ALL 1,591

169.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$3.76 ALL 305

-68.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$3.80 ALL 308

-95.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$18.43 ALL 1,494

-90.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$2.18 ALL 177

-32.57%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$33.9K ALL 2.7M

-38.00%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$24.3K ALL 2.0M

9.27%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$61.8 ALL 5,010

1.20%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$16.46 ALL 1,334

-29.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$17.34 ALL 1,406

17.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$58.3 ALL 4,728

-35.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$8.72 ALL 707

-25.34%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$98.7 ALL 7,997

636.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$48.97 ALL 3,969

9.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$54.5 ALL 4,417

-54.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$99.7 ALL 8,078

-9.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$147 ALL 11.9K

-50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$478 ALL 38.8K

0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$315 ALL 25.5K

-1.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$704 ALL 57.1K

50.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$475 ALL 38.5K

38.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

$1,996 ALL 161.7K

21.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

$1,290 ALL 104.5K

24.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Lac: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Lac

$315 28.9% 1.5% $4.7

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Lac

$248 22.8% 4.8% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Lac

$157 14.5% 45.4% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Lac

$96 8.8% 1.2% $1.2

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Lac

$152 14% 98.7% $76

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Lac

$44 4.1% 24.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Lac

$76 7% 48.9% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $478 in Lac. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $38 in Lac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $248 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇱 Lac

🕒 Local time

19:29 7:29 PM

13:29 1:29 PM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

17,086

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 ALL = 1.23 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 81.05 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.86 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Lac 7,760 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Lac

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 Lac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lac costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. 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 $1,632 in Lac. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $481 in Chiang Mai and $478 in Lac. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $99 in Lac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Lac, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,088 in Lac. 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 $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,088 in Lac. 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.