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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $715 in Osh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,151 in Osh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,588 in Osh, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Osh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Osh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Osh 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$4.55 KGS 397

-54.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$22.76 KGS 1,990

-13.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.25 KGS 809

-38.70%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.90 KGS 166

-4.74%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.82 KGS 71.4

-6.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.28 KGS 24.55

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.11 KGS 96.8

99.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$1.24 KGS 109

205.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.89 KGS 77.9

130.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.35 KGS 30.21

331.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.21 KGS 106

15.70%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.44 KGS 126

56.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$4.78 KGS 418

238.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.41 KGS 298

-14.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.73 KGS 676

21.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$0.68 KGS 59.6

294.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.53 KGS 134

-28.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.21 KGS 193

-26.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.19 KGS 104

22.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.48 KGS 41.90

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.46 KGS 40.52

130.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.63 KGS 55.0

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.68 KGS 59.8

-22.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.10 KGS 184

101.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.13 KGS 449

256.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.16 KGS 102

40.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.64 KGS 144

76.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.22 KGS 19.18

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$11.83 KGS 1,034

354.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.24 KGS 21.05

387.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.33 KGS 29.18

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$7.74 KGS 677

-69.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.96 KGS 83.8

51.04%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$18.0K KGS 1.6M

16.56%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$17.1K KGS 1.5M

54.48%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$39.76 KGS 3,476

60.09%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$5.07 KGS 443

154.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$9.35 KGS 817

119.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$45.62 KGS 3,988

-14.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$19.86 KGS 1,736

-80.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$3.49 KGS 305

88.54%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$165 KGS 14.4K

376.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$1,884 KGS 164.7K

678.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$18.90 KGS 1,652

191.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$36.08 KGS 3,155

-31.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$53.9 KGS 4,710

74.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$50.9 KGS 4,451

45.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$359 KGS 31.4K

36.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$272 KGS 23.8K

5.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$926 KGS 80.9K

-3.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$580 KGS 50.7K

-10.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,240 KGS 108.4K

59.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,011 KGS 88.4K

42.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$303 KGS 26.5K

98.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Osh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $359 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 99% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Osh. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $137 in Osh – so Osh wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 30% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,073 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $165 in Osh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Osh, where all-in costs run around $715, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Osh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Osh costs $715 versus $932 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.