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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $727 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,160 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,592 in Old Harbour, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Old Harbour, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Old Harbour are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Old Harbour 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$6.09 JMD 958

-68.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$30.96 JMD 4,869

-39.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$4.88 JMD 768

60.25%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$4.42 JMD 695

-55.88%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.92 JMD 145

-7.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.60 JMD 94.3

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$2.44 JMD 383

-12.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.05 JMD 480

22.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$4.35 JMD 684

-60.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$3.61 JMD 568

-54.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.63 JMD 256

-30.06%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$3.41 JMD 537

-43.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.37 JMD 529

381.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.51 JMD 1,024

-52.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.78 JMD 1,224

40.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$5.91 JMD 929

-53.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$3.12 JMD 491

-61.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$4.27 JMD 672

-62.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$2.13 JMD 334

-25.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$2.00 JMD 315

-30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$2.03 JMD 319

-42.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$2.98 JMD 469

-77.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.43 JMD 224

-62.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$8.69 JMD 1,366

-46.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$11.63 JMD 1,828

60.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.85 JMD 448

-36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.08 JMD 484

4.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.12 JMD 177

25.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$3.14 JMD 493

-58.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.19 JMD 973

26.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.04 JMD 164

22.12%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$43.5K JMD 6.8M

-51.09%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

-33.78%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$49.93 JMD 7,852

38.33%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$22.31 JMD 3,508

-36.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$44.15 JMD 6,942

-59.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$13.27 JMD 2,087

-55.39%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$227 JMD 35.7K

31.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$2,436 JMD 383.0K

513.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$26.12 JMD 4,108

109.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$25.85 JMD 4,064

3.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

18.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$74.8 JMD 11.8K

-5.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Old Harbour. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $325 – 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 19% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,091 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $31.00 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $727 in Old Harbour, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Old Harbour costs $727 versus $866 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.