Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Old Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Old Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $715 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,163 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,610 in Old Harbour, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Old Harbour, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Old Harbour are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Old Harbour 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$6.43 JMD 1,013

-69.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$31.66 JMD 4,990

-42.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.93 JMD 777

51.72%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.43 JMD 698

-54.40%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.93 JMD 146

-8.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.61 JMD 96.9

-40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.46 JMD 388

-13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.04 JMD 479

18.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$4.24 JMD 669

-61.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.60 JMD 567

-56.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.61 JMD 254

-26.09%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.49 JMD 550

-44.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$3.37 JMD 531

380.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.31 JMD 995

-52.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.55 JMD 1,190

44.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$5.88 JMD 927

-53.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$3.16 JMD 497

-62.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$4.12 JMD 649

-58.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.06 JMD 325

-22.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.08 JMD 328

-33.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.00 JMD 315

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$2.99 JMD 471

-77.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.49 JMD 235

-62.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$8.64 JMD 1,362

-46.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$11.51 JMD 1,814

53.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.77 JMD 437

-32.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.05 JMD 481

8.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.12 JMD 176

21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$3.24 JMD 510

-58.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.31 JMD 995

30.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.07 JMD 169

14.02%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

-50.71%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-34.04%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$49.50 JMD 7,800

42.77%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$22.09 JMD 3,481

-36.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$43.72 JMD 6,890

-60.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$13.11 JMD 2,066

-54.84%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$228 JMD 35.9K

35.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$2,483 JMD 391.3K

499.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$25.67 JMD 4,045

117.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$25.43 JMD 4,007

2.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$70.0 JMD 11.0K

18.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$76.5 JMD 12.1K

-7.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Old Harbour. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $321 – 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 Old Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Old Harbour, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,073 in Old Harbour. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $32.00 in Old Harbour. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 32% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $715 in Old Harbour, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Old Harbour costs $715 versus $861 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 Old Harbour. 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.