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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $854 in Metn, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,338 in Metn, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,821 in Metn, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Metn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Metn are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Metn 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$10.71 LBP 958.2K

-81.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$60.2 LBP 5.4M

-69.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.07 LBP 722.5K

-7.31%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.26 LBP 292.0K

-38.04%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.64 LBP 147.0K

-48.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.86 LBP 76.6K

-58.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$3.46 LBP 309.8K

-38.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$5.04 LBP 451.1K

-28.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.78 LBP 159.5K

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.80 LBP 71.3K

96.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.99 LBP 88.4K

20.20%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.41 LBP 126.2K

37.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$5.82 LBP 521.0K

178.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.54 LBP 585.3K

-54.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.55 LBP 1.0M

-5.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.79 LBP 159.8K

51.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.46 LBP 130.5K

-19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.14 LBP 102.3K

48.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.09 LBP 97.7K

46.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.92 LBP 82.8K

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.00 LBP 89.4K

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.82 LBP 73.6K

-18.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.51 LBP 45.7K

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.53 LBP 136.5K

203.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$10.05 LBP 899.3K

75.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.75 LBP 66.9K

148.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$0.98 LBP 87.9K

236.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$4.95 LBP 443.4K

-72.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.22 LBP 109.2K

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$20.28 LBP 1.8M

-59.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.96 LBP 85.7K

27.08%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-38.27%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

-19.15%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$211 LBP 18.9M

-66.57%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$37.19 LBP 3.3M

-62.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$37.12 LBP 3.3M

-52.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$8.17 LBP 731.5K

-27.54%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$307 LBP 27.5M

0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,492 LBP 402.0M

231.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$70.0 LBP 6.3M

-20.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$44.19 LBP 4.0M

-40.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$124 LBP 11.1M

-33.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$94.6 LBP 8.5M

-25.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$496 LBP 44.4M

65.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

-55.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Metn: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $60.0 in Metn. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Metn – so Metn 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 Metn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Metn, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,280 in Metn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $60.0 in Metn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $854 in Metn, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Metn costs $854 versus $861 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 Metn. 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.