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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $845 in Metn, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,336 in Metn, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,827 in Metn, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Metn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Metn are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Metn 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$11.02 LBP 986.1K

-82.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$60.8 LBP 5.4M

-69.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.10 LBP 725.3K

-3.46%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.42 LBP 305.9K

-42.98%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.58 LBP 141.3K

-46.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.94 LBP 84.0K

-62.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.44 LBP 307.8K

-38.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.97 LBP 445.2K

-24.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.80 LBP 160.9K

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.78 LBP 70.2K

108.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

12.87%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.38 LBP 123.5K

39.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.09 LBP 544.8K

166.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.33 LBP 566.8K

-50.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.52 LBP 1.0M

-5.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.79 LBP 160.0K

53.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.53 LBP 136.5K

-20.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.09 LBP 97.3K

48.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.09 LBP 97.6K

45.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.93 LBP 83.6K

50.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.83 LBP 74.7K

-20.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.48 LBP 42.5K

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.53 LBP 136.7K

206.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$10.15 LBP 908.5K

83.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.74 LBP 66.4K

143.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

219.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$5.07 LBP 454.1K

-72.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$19.69 LBP 1.8M

-60.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

35.11%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-38.83%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-20.70%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$212 LBP 19.0M

-67.49%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$37.24 LBP 3.3M

-62.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$36.87 LBP 3.3M

-51.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$8.02 LBP 717.4K

-26.18%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$308 LBP 27.5M

-2.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,443 LBP 397.7M

236.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$70.5 LBP 6.3M

-22.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$45.53 LBP 4.1M

-41.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$121 LBP 10.9M

-29.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$93.5 LBP 8.4M

-24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$509 LBP 45.5M

57.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Metn: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $61.0 in Metn. Groceries tell a different story – $246 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 3% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,267 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $61.0 in Metn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $845 in Metn, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Metn costs $845 versus $866 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.