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 $1,059 in Lehliu Gara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,623 in Lehliu Gara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,187 in Lehliu Gara, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% 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 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$11.30 RON 51.6

-81.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$46.02 RON 210

-59.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$7.91 RON 36.13

-0.63%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$2.66 RON 12.17

-23.68%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$2.19 RON 9.99

-63.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$1.88 RON 8.61

-81.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.34 RON 10.69

-8.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.40 RON 15.52

7.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.32 RON 6.03

31.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.82 RON 3.76

91.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.93 RON 8.82

-37.82%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$3.64 RON 16.60

-45.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$8.61 RON 39.32

88.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.33 RON 28.90

-51.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$9.28 RON 42.38

16.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.21 RON 5.52

128.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.71 RON 7.82

-31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.65 RON 7.54

3.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.89 RON 8.65

-15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.06 RON 4.86

31.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.16 RON 5.27

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.91 RON 4.14

-27.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.78 RON 3.56

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.93 RON 27.07

-21.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$5.39 RON 24.62

229.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$0.93 RON 4.23

92.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$1.29 RON 5.90

158.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.67 RON 3.08

35.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$20.07 RON 91.7

-7.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.69 RON 3.14

104.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.87 RON 3.95

54.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$7.66 RON 34.97

5.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.54 RON 7.05

-20.13%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$27.9K RON 127.5K

-23.23%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$26.3K RON 120.0K

-16.96%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$162 RON 742

-56.09%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$8.42 RON 38.45

66.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$8.66 RON 39.54

107.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$41.87 RON 191

-2.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$19.03 RON 86.9

-63.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.63 RON 30.28

-13.73%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$662 RON 3,025

-53.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$5,495 RON 25.1K

167.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$99.3 RON 454

-43.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$35.52 RON 162

-26.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$62.8 RON 287

35.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$97.6 RON 446

-27.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$381 RON 1,741

10.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$291 RON 1,330

-16.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$579 RON 2,642

37.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$439 RON 2,006

15.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$2,076 RON 9,481

-7.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$1,371 RON 6,262

6.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lehliu Gara: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $381 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $198 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,589 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $662 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,059 in Lehliu Gara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,059 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.