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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $915 in Long Mountain, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,494 in Long Mountain, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,074 in Long Mountain, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Long Mountain, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Long Mountain are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Long Mountain 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.71 MUR 267

-63.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$31.27 MUR 1,463

-36.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.55 MUR 353

-23.31%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.30 MUR 60.7

40.77%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.04 MUR 48.87

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.66 MUR 30.92

-53.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.98 MUR 92.9

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.72 MUR 127

36.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.45 MUR 68.0

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.22 MUR 10.32

627.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.16 MUR 54.3

22.41%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.66 MUR 125

-18.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$5.23 MUR 245

204.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$3.68 MUR 172

-16.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.50 MUR 351

31.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.10 MUR 98.2

25.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.84 MUR 86.0

-40.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.39 MUR 65.3

17.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.61 MUR 75.2

-4.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.03 MUR 48.06

20.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.95 MUR 44.55

18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.73 MUR 34.29

1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.65 MUR 30.65

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$6.32 MUR 296

-32.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$6.29 MUR 294

185.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.62 MUR 76.0

4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.14 MUR 100

35.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.86 MUR 40.47

9.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$4.16 MUR 194

-70.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$3.24 MUR 152

-83.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$21.61 MUR 1,011

-88.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.39 MUR 64.9

3.60%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$36.3K MUR 1.7M

-41.64%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$30.6K MUR 1.4M

-10.83%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$45.69 MUR 2,138

42.11%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$10.51 MUR 492

27.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$28.98 MUR 1,356

-28.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$35.32 MUR 1,653

14.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$16.81 MUR 787

-76.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$6.50 MUR 304

3.23%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$130 MUR 6,069

506.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$858 MUR 40.1K

1663.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$31.35 MUR 1,467

79.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$42.28 MUR 1,979

-40.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$64.8 MUR 3,034

43.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$62.9 MUR 2,946

19.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$568 MUR 26.6K

-14.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$393 MUR 18.4K

-26.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,133 MUR 53.0K

-19.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$841 MUR 39.3K

-36.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$3,676 MUR 172.0K

-46.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$3,213 MUR 150.4K

-54.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$1,053 MUR 49.3K

-42.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Long Mountain: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $568 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 74% higher in Long Mountain, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Long Mountain. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $164 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

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Long Mountain, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,372 in Long Mountain. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Long Mountain, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $31.00 in Long Mountain. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Long Mountain, where all-in costs run around $915, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Long Mountain it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Long Mountain costs $915 versus $950 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 Long Mountain. 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.