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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $559 in Osh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $935 in Osh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,311 in Osh, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 55% more than Osh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Osh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Osh 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.47 KGS 303

-42.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$14.84 KGS 1,297

26.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.67 KGS 496

36.68%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.40 KGS 122

37.14%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.68 KGS 59.4

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.23 KGS 20.13

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.17 KGS 103

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.18 KGS 103

210.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.89 KGS 77.6

85.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.39 KGS 33.86

317.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.88 KGS 76.6

35.23%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.54 KGS 135

29.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$5.63 KGS 492

183.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.63 KGS 404

-34.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.53 KGS 658

44.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.22 KGS 19.19

1154.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.93 KGS 81.3

26.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.84 KGS 249

-42.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.17 KGS 102

29.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.39 KGS 34.45

253.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.33 KGS 28.46

260.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.24 KGS 21.06

191.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.56 KGS 48.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$0.71 KGS 62.4

545.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.09 KGS 445

225.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.16 KGS 101

57.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.45 KGS 126

120.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.15 KGS 12.76

486.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$22.92 KGS 2,004

-18.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.17 KGS 14.79

688.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.40 KGS 122

460.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.82 KGS 72.0

50.00%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$22.8K KGS 2.0M

-5.13%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$36.85 KGS 3,222

91.42%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.20 KGS 367

225.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$7.37 KGS 644

136.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$25.38 KGS 2,218

62.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$34.37 KGS 3,004

-79.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.31 KGS 202

149.78%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$91.7 KGS 8,020

234.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,924 KGS 168.2K

659.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$17.36 KGS 1,518

221.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$22.51 KGS 1,968

16.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$56.8 KGS 4,961

51.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$46.12 KGS 4,032

56.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$376 KGS 32.8K

14.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$182 KGS 15.9K

30.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$751 KGS 65.6K

8.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$450 KGS 39.3K

13.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,222 KGS 106.9K

62.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,031 KGS 90.1K

43.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$308 KGS 27.0K

100.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Osh: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $376 in Osh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 101% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Osh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $137 – making Osh 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 Osh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 55% more than Osh, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $838 in Osh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Osh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $91.7 in Osh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 76% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $559 in Osh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Osh costs $559 versus $869 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 Osh. 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.