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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $473 in Latakia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $781 in Latakia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,089 in Latakia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 100% more than Latakia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Latakia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Latakia 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$4.94 SYP 601

-57.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$30.31 SYP 3,685

-35.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$5.42 SYP 658

4.24%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$0.99 SYP 120

82.83%

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

$0.71 ฿23.46

$1.00 SYP 122

-29.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.39

$0.80 SYP 97.8

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$0.99 SYP 120

126.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿120

$3.08 SYP 374

17.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.95 SYP 116

106.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.42

$0.41 SYP 50.2

265.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.96

$1.16 SYP 141

15.52%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$1.46 SYP 177

54.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$3.89 SYP 473

317.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.2

$5.20 SYP 632

-43.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$14.16 SYP 1,721

-29.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$0.86 SYP 105

198.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.75

$1.17 SYP 143

-9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.73 SYP 88.7

120.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$0.69 SYP 83.9

120.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.80

$0.69 SYP 83.8

84.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.09

$0.79 SYP 96.3

35.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.70

$0.41 SYP 49.31

75.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$0.63 SYP 76.5

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.84 SYP 346

47.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿588

$4.08 SYP 495

337.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.34 SYP 163

26.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$2.29 SYP 278

24.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.45

$0.07 SYP 7.95

1228.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,772

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.61

$1.03 SYP 125

19.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.97

$0.57 SYP 69.5

1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.8

$5.09 SYP 618

-52.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.46

$1.05 SYP 128

34.29%

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

$21.4K ฿705.5K

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

43.28%

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

$27.3K ฿899.3K

$18.8K SYP 2.3M

45.66%

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

$63.7 ฿2,095

$67.5 SYP 8,204

-5.67%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$7.31 SYP 888

75.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$33.74 SYP 4,101

-40.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,275

$14.19 SYP 1,725

173.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$9.56 SYP 1,162

-58.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$1.17 SYP 142

476.07%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$40.57 SYP 4,931

1817.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.7K

$1,512 SYP 183.8K

866.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,786

$26.54 SYP 3,227

104.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$19.16 SYP 2,329

32.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,104

$42.08 SYP 5,115

124.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,416

$39.66 SYP 4,821

85.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$90.8 SYP 11.0K

439.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,518

$51.7 SYP 6,279

460.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$250 SYP 30.4K

257.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$126 SYP 15.3K

311.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$705 SYP 85.7K

177.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$246 SYP 29.8K

501.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$58.3 SYP 7,085

932.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.25

-60.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Latakia: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $90.8 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 933% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Latakia. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $154 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 100% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $710 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $30.00 in Latakia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Latakia, where all-in costs run around $473, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Latakia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Latakia costs $473 versus $947 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.