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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 6.9% cheaper than Ningbo without rent, and 3.7% more expensive with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 5.3% cheaper than Ningbo without rent, and 2.7% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Ningbo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$3.14 ¥22.55
-35.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$24.13 ¥173
-22.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$4.07 ¥29.17
88.45%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$3.15 ¥22.6
-37.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.45 ¥3.23
82.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.26 ¥1.85
26.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$0.93 ¥6.67
127.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$2.12 ¥15.2
75.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Ningbo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$2.06 ¥14.8
-20.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$2.74 ¥19.69
-42.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$0.79 ¥5.66
50.63%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$1.39 ¥9.96
42.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$20.65 ¥148
-22.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$4.77 ¥34.25
-34.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$12 ¥86.1
-7.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$1.93 ¥13.86
43.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$1.42 ¥10.2
-14.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$2.29 ¥16.46
-25.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$1.15 ¥8.25
34.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$0.67 ¥4.78
100.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$0.79 ¥5.63
53.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$0.59 ¥4.2
22.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.57 ¥4.06
-7.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$5.43 ¥38.95
-13.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$11.24 ¥80.6
63.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$1.1 ¥7.86
62.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$1.98 ¥14.21
62.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Ningbo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.29 ¥2.09
224.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$16.49 ¥118
14.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$1.7 ¥12.16
-16.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$0.35 ¥2.55
285.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$7.23 ¥51.8
8.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.19 ¥8.5
5.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$21.4K ¥153.3K
-0.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$19.4K ¥139.3K
12.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Ningbo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$64.7 ¥464
9.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$15.55 ¥112
-11.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$7.01 ¥50.3
150.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Ningbo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$21.86 ¥157
90.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$12.75 ¥91.4
-45.88%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$8.12 ¥58.2
-28.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Ningbo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$603 ¥4,325
-48.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$15.5K ¥111.1K
-5.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Ningbo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$42.38 ¥304
30.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$29.76 ¥213
-11.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$70.3 ¥504
21.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$61.5 ¥441
16.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Ningbo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$376 ¥2,695
15.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$262 ¥1,880
-10.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$853 ¥6,119
-3.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$485 ¥3,482
2.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$4,862 ¥34.9K
-55.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$3,244 ¥23.3K
-52.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Ningbo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$848 ¥6,084
-17.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
4.85
3.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Ningbo: October 27, 2025

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