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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,020 in Lucea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,684 in Lucea, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,349 in Lucea, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 7% cheaper than Lucea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Lucea are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Lucea 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$16.07 JMD 2,525

-86.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

-73.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$8.82 JMD 1,385

-34.35%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$5.44 JMD 854

-66.36%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.19 JMD 186

-34.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.69 JMD 109

-55.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.18 JMD 343

7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.19 JMD 500

15.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$4.20 JMD 660

-51.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.67 JMD 576

-56.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.65 JMD 258

-13.94%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.46 JMD 544

-36.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$11.58 JMD 1,819

37.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.21 JMD 976

-50.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.21 JMD 1,604

-3.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$5.95 JMD 934

-55.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$3.89 JMD 611

-71.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$7.34 JMD 1,153

-77.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.04 JMD 477

-49.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$3.36 JMD 527

-63.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.62 JMD 411

-56.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.99 JMD 470

-75.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.47 JMD 231

-65.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$9.43 JMD 1,481

-54.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.29 JMD 1,774

59.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.95 JMD 463

-42.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$3.98 JMD 625

-27.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.23 JMD 193

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$3.10 JMD 487

-82.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$6.36 JMD 999

-62.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.35 JMD 213

6.67%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$43.8K JMD 6.9M

-51.66%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-18.11%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$173 JMD 27.2K

-62.52%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$29.94 JMD 4,703

-55.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$52.4 JMD 8,222

-60.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$13.33 JMD 2,093

-49.66%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$359 JMD 56.4K

119.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$8,217 JMD 1.3M

84.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$23.79 JMD 3,738

136.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$31.08 JMD 4,883

-19.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$79.4 JMD 12.5K

16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$105 JMD 16.4K

-28.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lucea: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $76.0 in Lucea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $383 – 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 7% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,530 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $76.0 in Lucea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Lucea, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Lucea at $1,020. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lucea it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,020 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.