Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and New Taipei City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and New Taipei City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,239 in New Taipei City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,038 in New Taipei City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,837 in New Taipei City, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% cheaper than New Taipei City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and New Taipei City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, New Taipei City 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$4.70 NT$150

-55.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$31.51 NT$1,003

-37.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.23 NT$167

8.41%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.24 NT$71.3

-19.20%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.88 NT$28.06

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.56 NT$17.95

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.67 NT$53.3

32.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.45 NT$78.1

54.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$3.08 NT$98.2

-33.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.82 NT$57.8

-17.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$2.20 NT$70.0

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.19 NT$69.6

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$25.19 NT$802

-35.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$10.60 NT$338

-72.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$18.94 NT$603

-50.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$4.13 NT$131

-35.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.44 NT$77.8

-55.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.81 NT$89.7

-42.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$3.99 NT$127

-63.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$4.02 NT$128

-68.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$2.07 NT$66.1

-48.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.64 NT$52.1

-56.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$1.04 NT$33.18

-49.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.46 NT$142

-5.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$8.89 NT$283

105.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.49 NT$47.31

9.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.01 NT$64.0

44.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.82 NT$26.20

7.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$37.92 NT$1,208

41.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$2.82 NT$89.9

-58.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.99 NT$31.63

-41.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$9.69 NT$309

-75.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.01 NT$32.02

43.56%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$33.9K NT$1.1M

-38.07%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$24.4K NT$776.1K

8.44%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$112 NT$3,560

-43.05%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$16.69 NT$532

-22.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$22.96 NT$731

-10.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$39.29 NT$1,251

-0.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$7.78 NT$248

-49.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$12.64 NT$402

-47.94%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$650 NT$20.7K

20.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$21.2K NT$676.5K

-30.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$35.16 NT$1,120

56.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$31.25 NT$995

-20.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$93.8 NT$2,987

0.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$99.4 NT$3,164

-25.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$646 NT$20.6K

-24.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$340 NT$10.8K

-15.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$1,396 NT$44.5K

-36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$926 NT$29.5K

-43.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$12.4K NT$394.5K

-84.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$7,248 NT$230.9K

-80.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,391 NT$44.3K

-56.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.81

98.22%

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 Taipei City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $646 in New Taipei City. 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 131% higher in New Taipei City, 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 $32.00 in New Taipei City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $383 – 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 New Taipei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Taipei City costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,859 in New Taipei City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $650 in New Taipei City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in New Taipei City, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in New Taipei City at $1,239. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Taipei City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,239 in New Taipei City. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New Taipei City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.