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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $892 in Lucea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,422 in Lucea, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,951 in Lucea, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Lucea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Lucea are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Lucea 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$7.72 JMD 1,214

-74.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$63.4 JMD 9,970

-70.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$8.55 JMD 1,345

-9.36%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$4.26 JMD 670

-54.93%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$1.38 JMD 217

-42.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.71 JMD 112

-49.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$2.56 JMD 402

-13.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.05 JMD 480

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$4.40 JMD 692

-62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$3.58 JMD 564

-54.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$1.56 JMD 245

-23.72%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$3.59 JMD 565

-44.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$10.88 JMD 1,711

46.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$6.37 JMD 1,002

-52.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$7.75 JMD 1,218

40.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$5.90 JMD 928

-53.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$3.10 JMD 487

-61.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$4.28 JMD 673

-61.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$3.06 JMD 482

-50.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$2.10 JMD 330

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$1.93 JMD 303

-38.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$3.06 JMD 482

-77.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.46 JMD 229

-61.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$8.89 JMD 1,398

-48.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$11.31 JMD 1,778

46.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$2.86 JMD 450

-36.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$3.16 JMD 498

1.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.13 JMD 177

20.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$3.19 JMD 502

-57.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$6.13 JMD 964

27.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$1.23 JMD 193

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

-49.36%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-34.09%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$165 JMD 26.0K

-57.27%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$22.15 JMD 3,485

-38.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$50.6 JMD 7,959

-65.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$13.28 JMD 2,089

-56.55%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$222 JMD 34.9K

38.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$2,446 JMD 384.7K

497.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$26.37 JMD 4,148

111.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$25.81 JMD 4,059

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$72.2 JMD 11.3K

18.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

-6.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lucea: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $63.0 in Lucea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $352 – 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 3% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,338 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 $63.0 in Lucea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $892 in Lucea, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $892 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.