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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $770 in Naga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,117 in Naga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,463 in Naga, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Naga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Naga are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Naga 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.65 ₱222

-45.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$17.76 ₱1,078

5.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.40 ₱206

127.94%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.44 ₱148

-21.31%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.77 ₱46.49

2.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.40 ₱24.15

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.37 ₱83.0

61.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.15 ₱131

70.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.90 ₱115

-13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.27 ₱76.9

28.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.85 ₱51.4

40.00%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.70 ₱103

17.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.00 ₱486

99.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.19 ₱255

-27.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.87 ₱478

37.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.86 ₱174

-3.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.54 ₱93.7

-23.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.58 ₱157

-36.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.55 ₱93.9

-1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.31 ₱140

-40.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.50 ₱152

-52.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.06 ₱64.3

-33.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.73 ₱44.19

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.52 ₱153

81.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$3.80 ₱230

335.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.15 ₱69.8

59.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.04 ₱124

56.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.26 ₱15.58

238.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.84 ₱51.0

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.22 ₱13.27

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.07 ₱126

278.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.15 ₱69.9

6.96%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$27.0K ₱1.6M

-19.82%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

11.71%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$110 ₱6,701

-36.08%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$32.14 ₱1,951

-57.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$26.84 ₱1,630

-34.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$33.57 ₱2,038

23.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.92 ₱359

-2.53%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$152 ₱9,242

101.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,349 ₱264.1K

235.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$46.62 ₱2,831

19.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$26.17 ₱1,589

0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$74.8 ₱4,544

14.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$53.3 ₱3,236

35.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$262 ₱15.9K

64.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$174 ₱10.6K

36.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$326 ₱19.8K

150.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$268 ₱16.3K

90.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$145 ₱8,823

325.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Naga: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $262 in Naga. 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 326% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $18.00 in Naga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $194 – making Naga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Naga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Naga, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,155 in Naga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Naga, 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 $18.00 in Naga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $770 in Naga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Naga costs $770 versus $869 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 Naga. 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.