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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $476 in Latakia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $790 in Latakia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,104 in Latakia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 82% more than Latakia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Latakia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Latakia 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$4.75 SYP 525

-59.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$19.68 SYP 2,175

-5.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.11 SYP 565

53.03%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$0.66 SYP 72.8

195.45%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$0.70 SYP 77.7

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$0.37 SYP 40.60

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.02 SYP 113

108.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.73 SYP 191

115.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$0.75 SYP 83.0

128.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$0.58 SYP 64.5

181.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$0.99 SYP 110

15.15%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$1.82 SYP 201

6.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$3.11 SYP 344

421.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.84 SYP 756

-54.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$11.49 SYP 1,269

-5.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$0.89 SYP 98.0

208.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$1.05 SYP 116

15.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$0.69 SYP 76.4

134.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$0.58 SYP 64.6

174.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$0.61 SYP 67.4

129.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$0.66 SYP 73.1

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$0.40 SYP 44.24

65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$0.62 SYP 69.0

-14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$2.93 SYP 324

60.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$5.03 SYP 556

270.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$0.93 SYP 103

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.85 SYP 204

74.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$0.08 SYP 8.61

1025.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$1.02 SYP 113

38.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$0.52 SYP 57.8

148.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$6.63 SYP 733

18.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.95 SYP 104

33.68%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$18.3K SYP 2.0M

16.06%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$21.0K SYP 2.3M

5.77%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$39.89 SYP 4,408

73.15%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$8.31 SYP 918

69.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$47.37 SYP 5,234

-62.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$12.25 SYP 1,353

235.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$4.02 SYP 444

73.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$1.11 SYP 122

433.33%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$20.15 SYP 2,227

1384.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$1,841 SYP 203.4K

712.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$22.21 SYP 2,455

146.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$23.71 SYP 2,620

12.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$41.62 SYP 4,599

104.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$40.45 SYP 4,469

74.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$247 SYP 27.3K

73.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$84.6 SYP 9,349

180.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$467 SYP 51.6K

71.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$245 SYP 27.1K

110.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

$58.1 SYP 6,421

962.55%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Latakia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $247 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 963% 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 – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $150 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 82% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $713 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $476 in Latakia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Latakia costs $476 versus $866 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.