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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 25.2% more expensive than Lanzhou without rent, and 33.2% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 11.2% more expensive than Lanzhou without rent, and 26.7% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Lanzhou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 ฿64.2
$2.15 ¥14.88
-5.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.59 ฿588
$20.48 ¥142
-9.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 ฿237
$6.22 ¥43.02
20.26%
Cappuccino
$2.00 ฿63.2
$3.04 ¥21.02
-34.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ฿26.81
$0.40 ¥2.76
112.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.13
$0.27 ¥1.84
29.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿70.0
$0.59 ¥4.06
274.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿119
$1.65 ¥11.45
127.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Lanzhou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ฿54.4
$1.63 ¥11.25
5.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿51.7
$1.61 ¥11.17
1.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ฿36.66
$0.95 ¥6.56
22.11%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿62.6
$1.80 ¥12.48
10.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.93 ฿504
$12.86 ¥89.0
23.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ฿100
$3.14 ¥21.69
0.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿345
$8.89 ¥61.5
22.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ฿83.7
$1.78 ¥12.31
48.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿38.70
$1.48 ¥10.24
-17.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿53.7
$1.30 ¥8.97
30.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿50.3
$0.97 ¥6.73
63.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿41.90
$0.48 ¥3.35
175.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿36.99
$0.88 ¥6.06
32.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ฿21.46
$0.46 ¥3.17
47.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿17.64
$0.51 ¥3.55
9.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 ฿143
$3.25 ¥22.50
38.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.07 ฿604
$11.20 ¥77.5
70.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿56.0
$0.75 ¥5.20
136.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿101
$1.59 ¥11.01
100.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Lanzhou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿30.47
$0.27 ¥1.85
255.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.90 ฿598
$16.65 ¥115
13.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ฿42.98
$1.43 ¥9.89
-4.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿42.80
$0.20 ¥1.39
575.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 ฿254
$2.58 ¥17.84
211.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.34
$1.36 ¥9.42
-8.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿669.8K
$19.4K ¥134.1K
9.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿688.5K
$16.4K ¥113.7K
32.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Lanzhou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.2 ฿2,255
$43.60 ¥302
63.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.09 ฿446
$10.03 ¥69.4
40.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ฿553
$11.78 ¥81.5
48.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Lanzhou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ฿1,332
$42.61 ¥295
-1.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88 ฿218
$13.87 ¥96.0
-50.40%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ฿188
$6.16 ¥42.65
-3.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Lanzhou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$307 ฿9,728
$338 ¥2,342
-9.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿468.2K
$27.8K ¥192.1K
-46.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Lanzhou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 ฿1,762
$44.08 ¥305
26.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ฿848
$29.90 ¥207
-10.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 ฿2,634
$72.4 ¥501
14.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 ฿2,219
$41.30 ¥286
69.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Lanzhou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.5K
$275 ¥1,900
55.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$237 ฿7,504
$156 ¥1,080
51.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 ฿25.4K
$590 ¥4,082
35.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 ฿15.9K
$279 ¥1,930
80.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,061 ฿65.2K
$3,123 ¥21.6K
-34.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,533 ฿48.5K
$2,063 ¥14.3K
-25.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Lanzhou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 ฿20.7K
$604 ¥4,181
8.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
3.87
29.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Lanzhou: March 2, 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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