Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Lucea Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Lucea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $896 in Lucea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,463 in Lucea, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,029 in Lucea, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Lucea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Lucea are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Lucea 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.2

$7.33 JMD 1,154

-72.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿629

$61.8 JMD 9,731

-69.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿263

$8.79 JMD 1,385

-10.81%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.7

$4.45 JMD 700

-56.63%

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

$0.83 ฿27.92

$1.36 JMD 214

-38.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.77

$0.71 JMD 111

-50.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.6

$2.47 JMD 389

-10.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.10 JMD 488

22.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.3

$4.30 JMD 677

-61.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.1

$3.64 JMD 573

-57.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$1.55 JMD 244

-23.87%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.7

$3.48 JMD 548

-42.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿543

$11.01 JMD 1,734

46.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$6.41 JMD 1,009

-52.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿364

$7.61 JMD 1,199

42.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.0

$6.19 JMD 975

-56.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.03

$3.03 JMD 477

-59.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.6

$4.33 JMD 681

-62.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.3

$3.00 JMD 473

-49.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$2.02 JMD 318

-33.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.75

$1.93 JMD 304

-37.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.57

$2.99 JMD 471

-76.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.65

$1.46 JMD 230

-63.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿157

$8.95 JMD 1,409

-47.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿595

$11.43 JMD 1,799

54.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.0

$2.77 JMD 437

-33.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$3.04 JMD 479

5.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.27

$1.12 JMD 176

25.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.40

$3.15 JMD 496

-59.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$6.09 JMD 959

27.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.47

$1.23 JMD 193

4.88%

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

$21.8K ฿731.4K

$42.5K JMD 6.7M

-48.74%

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

$21.7K ฿728.8K

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-35.79%

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

$70.0 ฿2,351

$166 JMD 26.2K

-57.88%

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

$14.19 ฿477

$21.98 JMD 3,462

-35.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿585

$52.0 JMD 8,184

-66.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,399

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿194

$12.89 JMD 2,030

-55.16%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$228 JMD 36.0K

31.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿487.9K

$2,494 JMD 392.7K

482.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,860

$25.81 JMD 4,064

114.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿884

$25.64 JMD 4,038

2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,851

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

17.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,368

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

-9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,898

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Lucea: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $62.0 in Lucea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $351 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lucea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lucea costs about 6% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,344 in Lucea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $62.0 in Lucea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Lucea, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $847 in Chiang Mai and $896 in Lucea, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $896 in Lucea. 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, Lucea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.