Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ninh Binh

For one person, living is cheaper in Ninh Binh: $734 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Ninh Binh
Learn more

Ninh Binh Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Ninh Binh

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Ninh Binh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Ninh Binh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $734 in Ninh Binh, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Ninh Binh $734

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,173 in Ninh Binh, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Ninh Binh $1,173

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,612 in Ninh Binh, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Ninh Binh $1,612

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Ninh Binh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Ninh Binh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ninh Binh 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$1.89 ₫48.8K

18.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$21.29 ₫550.1K

-10.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$4.53 ₫117.1K

22.52%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.79 ₫46.3K

-6.70%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.47 ₫12.2K

36.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.30 ₫7,777

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$0.92 ₫23.6K

156.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.51 ₫39.0K

142.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.42 ₫36.7K

37.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.97 ₫25.0K

48.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.95 ₫24.5K

40.00%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.40 ₫36.3K

62.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$11.65 ₫300.8K

41.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.66 ₫94.5K

-24.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.94 ₫256.8K

-6.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.79 ₫72.0K

-15.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.06 ₫27.5K

-8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.35 ₫34.8K

18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.11 ₫28.8K

35.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$1.04 ₫26.9K

23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$1.01 ₫26.0K

8.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.65 ₫16.7K

9.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.48 ₫12.4K

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$1.32 ₫34.1K

213.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$11.36 ₫293.4K

54.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.75 ₫19.3K

114.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.58 ₫40.8K

75.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.32 ₫8,176

171.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$6.37 ₫164.5K

749.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.70 ₫18.1K

65.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.62 ₫16.1K

-14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$2.75 ₫71.0K

-12.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.84 ₫21.6K

72.62%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$34.5K ₫891.1M

-38.95%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$32.4K ₫836.0M

-16.75%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$75.5 ₫2.0M

-17.67%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$5.88 ₫151.8K

106.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$8.71 ₫225.1K

131.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$21.58 ₫557.5K

72.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$7.61 ₫196.5K

-50.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.01 ₫77.7K

115.61%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$262 ₫6.8M

180.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$11.7K ₫302.4M

26.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$41.29 ₫1.1M

29.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$23.38 ₫604.0K

5.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$85.2 ₫2.2M

7.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$74.2 ₫1.9M

-3.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$358 ₫9.3M

34.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$252 ₫6.5M

22.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$732 ₫18.9M

37.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$542 ₫14.0M

16.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,090 ₫54.0M

13.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,224 ₫31.6M

29.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.1

-38.79%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ninh Binh: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Ninh Binh

$252 34.4% 18.3% $56

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Ninh Binh

$191 26% 18.6% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Ninh Binh

$101 13.7% 7.2% $7.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Ninh Binh

$90 12.3% 4.6% $4.4

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Ninh Binh

$61 8.3% 21.5% $17

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ninh Binh

$11 1.6% 81.3% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Ninh Binh

$28 3.8% 45.1% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $358 in Ninh Binh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $21 in Ninh Binh. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $191 in Ninh Binh – so Ninh Binh wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇻🇳 Ninh Binh

🕒 Local time

03:49 3:49 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

148,406

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 25,832 VND (100,000 VND = 3.87 USD). 1 EUR = 28,757 VND (100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Ninh Binh 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ninh Binh

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ninh Binh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Ninh Binh, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,101 in Ninh Binh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ninh Binh, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $358 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $262 in Ninh Binh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Ninh Binh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.