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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $300 in Natore, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $477 in Natore, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $654 in Natore, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 184% more than Natore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Natore are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Natore 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$1.22 ৳150

60.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$4.98 ৳611

277.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.93 ৳606

60.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 ৳502

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ৳591

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.54 ৳190

24.03%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.28 ৳33.82

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.17 ৳21.07

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.56 ৳68.3

192.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.35 ৳42.95

362.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.53 ৳65.1

122.64%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.11 ৳136

81.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$6.99 ৳858

127.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$1.78 ৳219

69.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$5.77 ৳709

86.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.83 ৳224

42.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$0.63 ৳77.3

93.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.33 ৳163

27.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.43 ৳53.0

267.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.41 ৳49.74

221.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.34 ৳42.07

244.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.25 ৳30.59

168.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.20 ৳25.04

180.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.87 ৳1,089

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 ৳476

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 ৳856

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.89 ৳354

56.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.20 ৳24.52

345.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$10.12 ৳1,242

91.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.21 ৳149

11.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.40 ৳48.88

237.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.07 ৳377

168.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.84 ৳103

51.19%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$28.6K ৳3.5M

-26.03%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.1K ৳3.4M

-19.88%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$33.01 ৳4,052

112.51%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.60 ৳565

199.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$13.32 ৳1,635

32.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$13.39 ৳1,643

210.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$11.73 ৳1,440

-43.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.22 ৳518

36.97%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$16.39 ৳2,012

1767.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$1,983 ৳243.5K

647.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$16.59 ৳2,037

227.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$11.67 ৳1,432

123.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$23.23 ৳2,851

263.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$36.68 ৳4,502

89.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$70.2 ৳8,621

503.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$42.30 ৳5,192

463.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$166 ৳20.4K

396.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$97.6 ৳12.0K

428.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$547 ৳67.1K

274.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$439 ৳53.9K

247.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$203 ৳25.0K

212.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.52

-52.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Natore: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $70.2 in Natore. 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 212% 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 $5.00 in Natore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $89.0 – making Natore 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 Natore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 184% more than Natore, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $450 in Natore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Natore, 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 $16.39 in Natore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 175% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $300 in Natore, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Natore costs $300 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 Natore. 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.