Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Long Mountain Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Long Mountain

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $911 in Long Mountain, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,469 in Long Mountain, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,026 in Long Mountain, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 6% cheaper than Long Mountain, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Long Mountain are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Long Mountain 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.75 MUR 316

-70.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$32.65 MUR 1,528

-42.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.04 MUR 329

12.50%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.35 MUR 63.2

41.48%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.01 MUR 47.08

-16.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.56 MUR 26.24

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.06 MUR 96.4

7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.74 MUR 128

38.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.51 MUR 70.8

8.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.21 MUR 9.80

671.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.34 MUR 62.6

-11.94%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.25 MUR 105

-10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.75 MUR 550

35.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.78 MUR 177

-20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.63 MUR 357

41.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.97 MUR 92.4

32.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.89 MUR 88.4

-35.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.51 MUR 70.5

12.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.69 MUR 78.9

-6.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.98 MUR 45.84

34.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.99 MUR 46.17

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.84 MUR 39.31

-20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.63 MUR 29.56

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.74 MUR 315

-32.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.36 MUR 298

186.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.62 MUR 75.7

12.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.23 MUR 104

44.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.04 MUR 48.55

-14.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.49 MUR 210

-69.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.73 MUR 128

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$19.74 MUR 924

-58.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.44 MUR 67.4

-11.81%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.1K MUR 1.6M

-39.65%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.7K MUR 1.3M

-21.63%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$50.3 MUR 2,352

39.55%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$11.13 MUR 521

23.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$33.28 MUR 1,557

-47.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$38.22 MUR 1,788

8.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$17.51 MUR 819

-62.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.08 MUR 285

-4.93%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$156 MUR 7,283

96.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$868 MUR 40.6K

1608.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$33.31 MUR 1,559

63.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$44.66 MUR 2,090

-41.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$66.7 MUR 3,122

26.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$67.0 MUR 3,134

3.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$520 MUR 24.3K

-18.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$349 MUR 16.3K

-31.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$959 MUR 44.9K

-13.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$713 MUR 33.4K

-27.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$3,692 MUR 172.8K

-44.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$3,264 MUR 152.7K

-53.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,088 MUR 50.9K

-41.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Long Mountain: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $520 in Long Mountain. 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 71% higher in Long Mountain, 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 $33.00 in Long Mountain. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $185 in Long Mountain – so Long Mountain 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 Long Mountain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Long Mountain costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,367 in Long Mountain. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $33.00 in Long Mountain. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 31% cheaper in Long Mountain – 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 Long Mountain at $911. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Mountain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $911 in Long Mountain. 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, Long Mountain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.