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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $472 in Latakia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $791 in Latakia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,110 in Latakia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 79% 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 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$4.64 SYP 527

-57.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$19.83 SYP 2,252

-7.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$5.13 SYP 583

46.20%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$0.66 SYP 75.4

192.42%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.74 SYP 84.3

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.36 SYP 40.97

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$0.98 SYP 112

119.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$1.72 SYP 195

115.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$0.77 SYP 87.7

122.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.62 SYP 70.9

151.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.00 SYP 113

18.00%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.89 SYP 215

4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$3.06 SYP 347

424.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$6.72 SYP 763

-52.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$11.25 SYP 1,278

-2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$0.82 SYP 93.3

220.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.05 SYP 119

11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$0.69 SYP 78.3

139.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$0.59 SYP 67.4

161.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.61 SYP 69.2

126.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.66 SYP 75.5

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.38 SYP 43.13

73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.58 SYP 66.4

-12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.96 SYP 336

52.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$5.11 SYP 581

258.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$0.98 SYP 111

83.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.76 SYP 200

80.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.06 SYP 6.94

1400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.98 SYP 112

43.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.48 SYP 54.1

172.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$6.30 SYP 716

28.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.95 SYP 108

34.74%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$18.4K SYP 2.1M

16.01%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$20.7K SYP 2.4M

4.73%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$40.53 SYP 4,603

70.74%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$8.63 SYP 980

61.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$47.31 SYP 5,373

-62.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$11.95 SYP 1,357

254.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$3.91 SYP 444

70.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$1.07 SYP 121

453.27%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$20.50 SYP 2,328

1359.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$1,836 SYP 208.5K

708.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$21.72 SYP 2,467

158.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$24.01 SYP 2,727

12.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$41.15 SYP 4,673

106.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$41.60 SYP 4,725

72.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$243 SYP 27.6K

79.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$83.6 SYP 9,495

186.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$472 SYP 53.7K

68.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$237 SYP 26.9K

110.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$59.1 SYP 6,717

962.24%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Latakia: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $243 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 962% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $20 in Latakia. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $149 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 79% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $708 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 $18.00 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 64% 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $472 in Latakia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Latakia costs $472 versus $845 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.