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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,059 in Nadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,665 in Nadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,272 in Nadi, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Nadi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Nadi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Nadi 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$4.02 FJD 9.01

-51.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$26.85 FJD 60.1

-31.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.21 FJD 18.37

-8.89%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.53 FJD 7.90

-42.78%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.00 FJD 2.24

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.97 FJD 2.18

-62.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.94 FJD 6.58

-27.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.10 FJD 6.94

15.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.37 FJD 3.06

20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.81 FJD 1.81

93.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.20 FJD 4.93

-11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$5.06 FJD 11.33

219.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$12.71 FJD 28.44

-76.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.28 FJD 5.09

18.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.63 FJD 5.88

-55.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$3.29 FJD 7.36

-51.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.80 FJD 4.02

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.83 FJD 4.10

-34.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.16 FJD 2.59

-42.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.71 FJD 3.83

-67.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$7.96 FJD 17.81

-41.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$11.00 FJD 24.62

60.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.64 FJD 1.44

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.13 FJD 2.54

20.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.42 FJD 0.93

219.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.82 FJD 10.80

70.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.29 FJD 2.89

-5.43%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$20.1K FJD 44.9K

6.34%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$24.7K FJD 55.3K

-8.90%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$54.7 FJD 122

29.24%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$15.67 FJD 35.07

-10.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$19.65 FJD 43.97

-10.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$38.17 FJD 85.4

10.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.63 FJD 10.36

27.86%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$221 FJD 494

39.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,049 FJD 9,061

267.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$28.93 FJD 64.7

92.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$44.89 FJD 100

-41.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$57.1 FJD 128

45.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$66.2 FJD 148

6.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$892 FJD 1,995

-51.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$483 FJD 1,081

-50.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,550 FJD 3,468

-46.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,035 FJD 2,316

-50.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$682 FJD 1,526

180.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$512 FJD 1,145

186.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,094 FJD 2,449

-47.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

-18.96%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nadi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $892 in Nadi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 89% higher in Nadi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Nadi. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $209 in Nadi – so Nadi 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 Nadi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nadi costs about 23% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,588 in Nadi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Nadi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Nadi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Nadi at $1,059. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nadi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,059 in Nadi. 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, Nadi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.