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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $716 in Nandaime, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,154 in Nandaime, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,591 in Nandaime, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Nandaime, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Nandaime are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Nandaime 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$5.01 NIO 184

-60.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$35.07 NIO 1,284

-46.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$7.08 NIO 259

9.46%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$2.46 NIO 90.0

-21.95%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$0.84 NIO 30.86

-5.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.69 NIO 25.38

-47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$1.28 NIO 47.01

72.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$1.96 NIO 71.9

86.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$1.23 NIO 45.02

34.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$2.43 NIO 88.9

-32.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$1.82 NIO 66.8

-34.62%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$2.31 NIO 84.8

-13.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$11.41 NIO 418

40.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$6.60 NIO 242

-54.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$8.22 NIO 301

32.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$3.79 NIO 139

-27.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$0.85 NIO 30.97

38.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$1.81 NIO 66.3

-9.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$2.17 NIO 79.4

-29.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$4.03 NIO 147

-65.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$2.16 NIO 79.2

-44.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$1.03 NIO 37.69

-32.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.04 NIO 38.15

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$2.65 NIO 96.9

72.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$14.42 NIO 528

14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$1.46 NIO 53.6

25.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$2.20 NIO 80.5

45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.51 NIO 55.4

-9.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$6.77 NIO 248

15.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$1.30 NIO 47.71

-5.38%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$23.3K NIO 854.0K

-7.27%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$26.8K NIO 980.6K

-15.79%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$97.8 NIO 3,580

-27.84%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$17.15 NIO 628

-20.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$37.47 NIO 1,372

-53.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$8.10 NIO 297

-28.77%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$122 NIO 4,486

150.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$5,966 NIO 218.5K

144.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$77.7 NIO 2,845

-28.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$73.5 NIO 2,691

-64.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$130 NIO 4,764

-34.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$108 NIO 3,938

-32.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

-51.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Nandaime: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Nandaime. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $261 – 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 Nandaime: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Nandaime, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,075 in Nandaime. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Nandaime. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $716 in Nandaime, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nandaime costs $716 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 Nandaime. 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.