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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $493 in Mirissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $808 in Mirissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,122 in Mirissa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 87% more than Mirissa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Mirissa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Mirissa 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$4.38 LKR 1,446

-51.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$25.84 LKR 8,523

-23.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$7.44 LKR 2,454

-21.37%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.37 LKR 783

-25.74%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.69 LKR 226

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.25 LKR 81.5

32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.16 LKR 711

14.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.92 LKR 964

32.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.60 LKR 528

18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$0.47 LKR 154

255.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$0.74 LKR 244

82.43%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.55 LKR 513

38.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$12.82 LKR 4,228

23.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$4.88 LKR 1,609

-42.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$6.90 LKR 2,277

52.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$6.90 LKR 2,277

-65.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$0.86 LKR 283

24.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$4.56 LKR 1,504

-66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.26 LKR 416

19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.01 LKR 333

26.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$0.79 LKR 262

39.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.88 LKR 289

-21.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.48 LKR 157

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$10.16 LKR 3,352

-57.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$13.45 LKR 4,435

24.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.93 LKR 637

-13.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.63 LKR 869

6.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$0.38 LKR 125

215.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$0.37 LKR 123

45.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$0.92 LKR 303

157.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.24 LKR 410

15.32%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$29.9K LKR 9.9M

-29.45%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$39.1K LKR 12.9M

-30.55%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$53.2 LKR 17.6K

21.60%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$4.02 LKR 1,325

228.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$20.85 LKR 6,877

-6.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$4.29 LKR 1,416

54.31%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$37.54 LKR 12.4K

2045.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$1,216 LKR 401.1K

1143.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$19.61 LKR 6,468

179.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$16.33 LKR 5,388

55.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$79.1 LKR 26.1K

16.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$42.17 LKR 13.9K

77.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Mirissa: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Mirissa. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $233 in Mirissa – so Mirissa 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 Mirissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 87% more than Mirissa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $740 in Mirissa. 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 $26.00 in Mirissa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mirissa, where all-in costs run around $493, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Mirissa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mirissa costs $493 versus $920 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 Mirissa. 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.