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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,062 in Nadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,686 in Nadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,309 in Nadi, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Nadi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Nadi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Nadi 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.03 FJD 8.85

-51.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$26.59 FJD 58.3

-29.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.16 FJD 17.89

-4.17%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.44 FJD 7.54

-43.31%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.93 FJD 2.05

-8.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.02 FJD 2.24

-65.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.97 FJD 6.52

-28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.19 FJD 6.99

16.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.35 FJD 2.96

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.86 FJD 1.89

89.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.20 FJD 4.82

-12.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.16 FJD 11.32

214.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$13.08 FJD 28.69

-76.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.20 FJD 4.82

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.73 FJD 5.99

-55.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.42 FJD 7.51

-53.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.82 FJD 3.99

-23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.74 FJD 3.81

-32.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.20 FJD 2.63

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.63 FJD 3.58

-67.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$7.85 FJD 17.20

-40.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$11.27 FJD 24.72

65.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.65 FJD 1.42

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.08 FJD 2.36

30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.41 FJD 0.90

214.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.83 FJD 10.59

62.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.29 FJD 2.84

-1.55%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$20.0K FJD 43.8K

6.51%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$24.3K FJD 53.2K

-8.47%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$55.8 FJD 122

23.71%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$15.50 FJD 33.98

-9.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$20.18 FJD 44.26

-10.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$38.24 FJD 83.9

7.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.66 FJD 10.22

27.04%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$219 FJD 480

36.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,935 FJD 8,628

280.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$29.12 FJD 63.9

87.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$45.08 FJD 98.9

-40.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$58.2 FJD 128

45.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$66.1 FJD 145

6.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$880 FJD 1,929

-51.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$480 FJD 1,053

-50.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,551 FJD 3,402

-48.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,038 FJD 2,276

-50.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$712 FJD 1,561

177.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$540 FJD 1,184

173.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,115 FJD 2,446

-44.65%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nadi: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $880 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 81% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Nadi. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $212 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,593 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 $19.00 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 $866, than in Nadi at $1,062. 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 $866 versus $1,062 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.