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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,058 in Lehliu Gara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,604 in Lehliu Gara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,150 in Lehliu Gara, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Lehliu Gara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Lehliu Gara are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Lehliu Gara 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$11.63 RON 50.7

-83.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$45.50 RON 198

-58.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.26 RON 36.02

-4.12%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.62 RON 11.43

-27.10%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.10 RON 9.16

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.86 RON 8.10

-81.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.24 RON 9.77

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.37 RON 14.69

12.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.33 RON 5.80

23.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.83 RON 3.63

95.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.93 RON 8.40

-38.86%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.76 RON 16.38

-46.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.38 RON 36.55

89.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.16 RON 26.84

-51.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$9.32 RON 40.63

15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.22 RON 5.30

113.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.67 RON 7.28

-26.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.72 RON 7.49

-1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.91 RON 8.31

-17.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.03 RON 4.48

28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.10 RON 4.81

6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.94 RON 4.11

-28.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.75 RON 3.26

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$5.82 RON 25.38

-22.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.80 RON 25.29

213.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.88 RON 3.82

107.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.30 RON 5.68

148.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.66 RON 2.87

34.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$20.18 RON 88.0

-3.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.73 RON 3.17

84.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.89 RON 3.87

51.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$7.39 RON 32.21

11.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.55 RON 6.74

-18.06%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$28.5K RON 124.3K

-25.78%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$26.1K RON 113.7K

-13.79%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$165 RON 719

-57.47%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$8.54 RON 37.22

61.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$8.39 RON 36.58

109.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$42.11 RON 184

-1.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$19.11 RON 83.3

-65.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.77 RON 29.52

-14.62%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$659 RON 2,873

-53.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,477 RON 23.9K

170.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$101 RON 439

-45.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$35.35 RON 154

-26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$64.4 RON 281

31.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$96.2 RON 419

-27.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$383 RON 1,668

10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$293 RON 1,276

-18.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$579 RON 2,523

42.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$439 RON 1,914

17.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,852 RON 8,073

10.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,292 RON 5,634

17.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-23.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lehliu Gara: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $383 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $46.00 in Lehliu Gara. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $197 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 24% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,587 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $659 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 23% 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 $852, than in Lehliu Gara at $1,058. 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 $852 versus $1,058 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.