Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Lehliu Gara Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Lehliu Gara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,072 in Lehliu Gara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,616 in Lehliu Gara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,161 in Lehliu Gara, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Lehliu Gara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Lehliu Gara are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Lehliu Gara 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$11.23 RON 50.8

-81.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$43.62 RON 198

-54.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.91 RON 35.85

-26.80%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.60 RON 11.78

-29.62%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$2.23 RON 10.09

-65.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.99 RON 9.00

-84.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.16 RON 9.76

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.30 RON 14.97

12.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.26 RON 5.69

61.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.74 RON 3.37

116.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.87 RON 8.49

-24.06%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.62 RON 16.38

-39.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.17 RON 37.01

94.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.08 RON 27.53

-49.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$8.88 RON 40.20

11.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.34 RON 6.07

96.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.56 RON 7.05

-29.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.58 RON 7.15

3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.91 RON 8.64

-19.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.94 RON 4.26

31.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.07 RON 4.84

5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.91 RON 4.11

-18.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.78 RON 3.51

-35.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$5.93 RON 26.87

-27.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$5.47 RON 24.78

228.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.02 RON 4.64

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.24 RON 5.63

133.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.83 RON 3.74

13.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$22.56 RON 102

145.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.69 RON 3.14

78.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.73 RON 3.31

-27.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.19 RON 32.57

-66.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.82 RON 8.26

-20.88%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$29.2K RON 132.2K

-27.37%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$25.7K RON 116.2K

6.44%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$160 RON 724

-59.39%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$8.19 RON 37.08

63.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$8.38 RON 37.94

148.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$37.42 RON 169

8.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$22.47 RON 102

-82.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$6.68 RON 30.24

0.45%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$625 RON 2,830

25.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$5,195 RON 23.5K

191.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$99.6 RON 451

-43.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$34.26 RON 155

-27.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$63.3 RON 286

46.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$87.2 RON 395

-13.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$435 RON 1,972

11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$320 RON 1,451

-10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$643 RON 2,911

41.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$537 RON 2,432

-1.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,674 RON 7,579

18.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,472 RON 6,667

-1.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lehliu Gara: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $435 in Lehliu Gara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Lehliu Gara. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $192 in Lehliu Gara – so Lehliu Gara 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 Lehliu Gara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lehliu Gara costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,608 in Lehliu Gara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $625 in Lehliu Gara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Lehliu Gara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Lehliu Gara at $1,072. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lehliu Gara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,072 in Lehliu Gara. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lehliu Gara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.