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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,030 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,729 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,428 in Old Harbour, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 9% cheaper than Old Harbour, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Old Harbour are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Old Harbour 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$16.02 JMD 2,510

-87.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$76.7 JMD 12.0K

-74.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.77 JMD 1,374

-35.35%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$5.49 JMD 861

-67.03%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.17 JMD 183

-34.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.69 JMD 109

-49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.18 JMD 342

1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.25 JMD 510

16.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$4.15 JMD 651

-50.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$3.77 JMD 590

-59.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.59 JMD 249

-11.95%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$3.63 JMD 569

-37.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$11.69 JMD 1,832

38.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.16 JMD 965

-52.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$10.19 JMD 1,596

-7.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$6.26 JMD 980

-57.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$4.03 JMD 631

-72.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$7.36 JMD 1,154

-77.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$2.99 JMD 468

-51.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$3.32 JMD 521

-61.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$2.74 JMD 430

-61.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$3.02 JMD 474

-76.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$1.51 JMD 237

-64.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$9.54 JMD 1,495

-55.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$11.52 JMD 1,806

58.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.89 JMD 453

-43.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$4.11 JMD 644

-29.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.18 JMD 185

-0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$3.24 JMD 507

-82.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$6.25 JMD 980

-61.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.37 JMD 214

5.84%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$44.0K JMD 6.9M

-52.26%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-20.70%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$176 JMD 27.6K

-63.91%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$30.18 JMD 4,730

-57.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$53.7 JMD 8,421

-61.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$13.56 JMD 2,125

-51.47%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$362 JMD 56.8K

116.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$8,258 JMD 1.3M

77.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$23.54 JMD 3,690

134.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$31.17 JMD 4,885

-20.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

21.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$102 JMD 16.0K

-27.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $77.0 in Old Harbour. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $388 – 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

Old Harbour costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,545 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $77.0 in Old Harbour. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Old Harbour, 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 Old Harbour at $1,030. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Old Harbour it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,030 in Old Harbour. 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, Old Harbour makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.