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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $906 in Long Mountain, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,477 in Long Mountain, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,047 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 ฿64.1

$6.73 MUR 318

-70.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$32.74 MUR 1,550

-43.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$7.19 MUR 340

9.46%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.39 MUR 65.6

40.29%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.95 MUR 44.94

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$0.55 MUR 26.24

-41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.14 MUR 102

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.72 MUR 129

35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.51 MUR 71.7

9.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$0.21 MUR 9.92

642.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.29 MUR 60.9

-7.75%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.35 MUR 111

-15.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$12.01 MUR 568

35.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$3.87 MUR 183

-18.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$7.88 MUR 373

37.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$1.96 MUR 93.0

35.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.83 MUR 86.8

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$1.43 MUR 67.7

15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.69 MUR 80.2

-8.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$1.03 MUR 48.92

29.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$0.92 MUR 43.72

31.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.80 MUR 37.92

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.65 MUR 30.61

-12.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$6.79 MUR 321

-31.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$6.41 MUR 303

165.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.68 MUR 79.7

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$2.21 MUR 105

43.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$1.00 MUR 47.52

-9.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$4.31 MUR 204

-67.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$2.65 MUR 125

-49.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$20.14 MUR 953

-59.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.41 MUR 66.5

-9.22%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$35.5K MUR 1.7M

-38.56%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

-20.81%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$50.1 MUR 2,372

40.65%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$11.06 MUR 523

27.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$33.00 MUR 1,562

-46.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$38.05 MUR 1,801

8.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$17.38 MUR 823

-61.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$6.08 MUR 288

-1.97%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$152 MUR 7,194

99.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$883 MUR 41.8K

1594.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$33.26 MUR 1,574

64.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$43.17 MUR 2,044

-39.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$65.6 MUR 3,105

30.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$65.0 MUR 3,076

7.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$506 MUR 24.0K

-15.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$350 MUR 16.5K

-31.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$934 MUR 44.2K

-13.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$716 MUR 33.9K

-28.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$3,717 MUR 176.0K

-45.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$3,156 MUR 149.4K

-52.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$1,062 MUR 50.3K

-41.38%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Long Mountain: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $506 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Long Mountain. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $187 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,359 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 $18.00 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 29% 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 $848, than in Long Mountain at $906. 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 $848 versus $906 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.