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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $572 in Osh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $956 in Osh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,340 in Osh, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 49% more than Osh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Osh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Osh 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.38 KGS 296

-39.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$14.80 KGS 1,294

26.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.78 KGS 505

35.99%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.33 KGS 116

52.63%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.69 KGS 60.6

15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.21 KGS 18.35

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.19 KGS 104

79.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.18 KGS 104

211.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.94 KGS 81.8

84.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.42 KGS 36.48

273.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.94 KGS 81.9

27.66%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.53 KGS 134

28.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$5.86 KGS 512

176.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.49 KGS 393

-31.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.47 KGS 653

44.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.24 KGS 21.11

1054.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.88 KGS 76.9

32.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.81 KGS 246

-39.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.12 KGS 98.0

41.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.39 KGS 34.48

256.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.35 KGS 31.02

231.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.22 KGS 19.15

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.59 KGS 51.9

-11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$0.72 KGS 62.9

545.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$5.17 KGS 452

243.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.12 KGS 97.8

59.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.48 KGS 129

125.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.16 KGS 13.96

468.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$22.42 KGS 1,960

-16.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.20 KGS 17.90

570.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$1.44 KGS 126

463.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.84 KGS 73.4

46.43%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$23.1K KGS 2.0M

-7.11%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$36.81 KGS 3,218

93.78%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$4.18 KGS 365

235.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$7.52 KGS 657

138.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$25.77 KGS 2,253

58.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$34.86 KGS 3,048

-80.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.34 KGS 205

144.44%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$90.4 KGS 7,906

240.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,876 KGS 164.0K

682.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$17.48 KGS 1,528

219.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$22.67 KGS 1,982

14.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$56.6 KGS 4,952

49.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$44.89 KGS 3,924

58.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$377 KGS 32.9K

12.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$184 KGS 16.1K

31.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$754 KGS 65.9K

5.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$458 KGS 40.0K

10.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,254 KGS 109.7K

52.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,047 KGS 91.5K

39.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$309 KGS 27.0K

92.58%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Osh: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $377 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 93% 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: $244 vs $138 – 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 49% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $859 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $90.4 in Osh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $572 in Osh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Osh costs $572 versus $852 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.