Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and New Cairo Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and New Cairo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $727 in New Cairo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,099 in New Cairo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,470 in New Cairo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than New Cairo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and New Cairo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, New Cairo 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$5.85 E£305

-64.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$26.40 E£1,377

-25.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.62 E£293

0.89%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.07 E£108

-12.56%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.39 E£20.36

97.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.14 E£7.30

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.30 E£120

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.85 E£149

32.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.92 E£47.94

122.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.03 E£53.9

46.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.73 E£38.30

91.78%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.48 E£77.1

52.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$4.42 E£230

266.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$5.45 E£284

-46.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.58 E£447

9.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.81 E£94.4

48.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$0.76 E£39.40

43.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.50 E£26.29

224.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.42 E£21.85

247.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.33 E£17.15

287.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.49 E£25.38

116.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.21 E£10.94

242.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.22 E£11.44

140.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.96 E£102

115.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$9.57 E£499

91.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.38 E£71.9

18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.13 E£111

36.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.28 E£14.40

214.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.61 E£31.68

91.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.24 E£12.53

141.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$3.78 E£197

-36.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.42 E£21.66

245.24%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$33.0K E£1.7M

-36.25%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$27.0K E£1.4M

-2.30%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$43.18 E£2,252

47.41%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$9.69 E£506

33.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$14.71 E£767

39.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$29.35 E£1,531

32.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$6.59 E£344

-40.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$3.32 E£173

98.19%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$190 E£9,917

312.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$4,648 E£242.4K

215.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$47.06 E£2,454

17.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$54.2 E£2,827

-54.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$118 E£6,133

-19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$59.0 E£3,074

25.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$306 E£15.9K

60.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$247 E£12.9K

16.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$545 E£28.4K

63.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$361 E£18.8K

44.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,225 E£63.9K

61.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$678 E£35.4K

112.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$186 E£9,702

223.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.4

-51.14%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for New Cairo: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $306 in New Cairo. 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 223% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in New Cairo. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $148 in New Cairo – so New Cairo 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 New Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than New Cairo, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,091 in New Cairo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in New Cairo, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in New Cairo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in New Cairo, where all-in costs run around $727, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In New Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. New Cairo costs $727 versus $932 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 New Cairo. 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.