Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $772 in Nakhon Ratchasima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,256 in Nakhon Ratchasima, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,740 in Nakhon Ratchasima, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Nakhon Ratchasima, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Nakhon Ratchasima 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.99 ฿97.6

-34.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$27.60 ฿902

-31.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.13 ฿200

29.20%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.07 ฿67.6

-7.73%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.55 ฿18.08

52.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.35 ฿11.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.86 ฿60.9

18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.51 ฿81.9

51.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.66 ฿54.4

-1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.30 ฿42.48

24.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.26 ฿41.13

-6.35%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.56 ฿51.0

28.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$15.50 ฿507

2.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.44 ฿112

-12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.17 ฿365

-3.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.19 ฿104

-18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.29 ฿42.17

-5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.99 ฿65.0

-14.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.39 ฿45.53

13.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.48 ฿48.39

-10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.21 ฿39.58

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.37 ฿44.92

-51.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.39 ฿12.64

43.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.86 ฿93.6

58.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$18.79 ฿614

-3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.77 ฿57.8

3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.29 ฿75.0

41.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.48 ฿15.65

85.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$20.39 ฿667

-4.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.05 ฿34.45

28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.29 ฿42.31

4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$7.71 ฿252

7.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.25 ฿40.95

1.60%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$82.6K ฿2.7M

-74.39%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$27.6K ฿904.0K

-18.67%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$77.2 ฿2,524

-9.10%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$13.57 ฿444

1.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$18.53 ฿606

-5.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$48.00 ฿1,570

-13.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$15.28 ฿500

-56.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.94 ฿162

17.00%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$186 ฿6,082

64.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$9,278 ฿303.4K

59.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$29.87 ฿977

82.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$19.72 ฿645

32.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$80.0 ฿2,617

5.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$43.78 ฿1,432

58.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$213 ฿6,976

98.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$165 ฿5,400

44.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$509 ฿16.7K

61.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$433 ฿14.1K

19.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$3,382 ฿110.6K

-39.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,757 ฿57.5K

-13.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$632 ฿20.7K

0.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.1

-1.96%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $213 in Nakhon Ratchasima. 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 1% 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 $28.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $245 – making Chiang Mai 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 Nakhon Ratchasima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Nakhon Ratchasima, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,158 in Nakhon Ratchasima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $186 in Nakhon Ratchasima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $772 in Nakhon Ratchasima, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nakhon Ratchasima costs $772 versus $852 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 Nakhon Ratchasima. 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.