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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $478 in Latakia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $794 in Latakia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,109 in Latakia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 77% more than Latakia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Latakia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Latakia 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.5

$4.87 SYP 592

-58.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$20.16 SYP 2,451

-7.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$5.01 SYP 609

56.49%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$0.62 SYP 75.7

211.29%

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

$0.83 ฿28.05

$0.74 SYP 90.1

12.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.82

$0.36 SYP 43.84

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$1.02 SYP 124

117.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$1.66 SYP 202

128.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.81 SYP 98.3

103.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$0.64 SYP 77.6

142.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.86

$0.99 SYP 121

19.19%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.0

$1.90 SYP 230

5.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$3.16 SYP 384

411.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$6.64 SYP 807

-54.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$11.17 SYP 1,358

-2.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.4

$0.81 SYP 99.0

230.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.21

$1.01 SYP 123

20.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$0.70 SYP 84.7

132.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.64 SYP 77.8

139.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.18

$0.63 SYP 76.2

112.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.93

$0.67 SYP 81.0

80.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.67

$0.40 SYP 49.02

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.73

$0.58 SYP 70.2

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$2.97 SYP 360

57.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿598

$3.95 SYP 481

348.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.3

$0.98 SYP 119

88.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.83 SYP 222

75.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.07

$0.06 SYP 7.33

1383.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$0.98 SYP 119

43.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$0.48 SYP 58.6

168.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$6.32 SYP 768

23.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.67

$0.87 SYP 106

48.28%

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

$21.8K ฿734.7K

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

16.86%

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

$21.7K ฿732.1K

$20.7K SYP 2.5M

4.80%

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

$70.0 ฿2,362

$40.09 SYP 4,873

74.56%

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

$14.19 ฿479

$8.38 SYP 1,018

69.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿588

$46.58 SYP 5,661

-62.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,405

$12.06 SYP 1,466

245.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

$3.95 SYP 480

74.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$1.06 SYP 129

445.28%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$20.51 SYP 2,493

1361.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿490.1K

$1,795 SYP 218.2K

709.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,869

$21.58 SYP 2,623

156.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿888

$24.34 SYP 2,958

8.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,863

$41.34 SYP 5,025

105.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,379

$41.72 SYP 5,071

68.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

$249 SYP 30.2K

71.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,933

$84.4 SYP 10.3K

178.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

$472 SYP 57.4K

69.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$241 SYP 29.3K

114.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

$708 SYP 86.1K

171.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

$252 SYP 30.7K

474.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$58.1 SYP 7,061

909.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

-63.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Latakia: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $249 in Latakia. 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 909% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in Latakia. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $147 in Latakia – so Latakia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Latakia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 77% more than Latakia, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $716 in Latakia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Latakia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $20.00 in Latakia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $847 in Chiang Mai and $478 in Latakia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Latakia costs $478 versus $847 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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