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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 1.3% cheaper than Pai without rent, and 3.6% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 1% cheaper than Pai without rent, and 6.6% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿63.2

$3.14 ฿101

-36.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.69 ฿598

$24.9 ฿797

-24.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 ฿242

$7.12 ฿228

6.04%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿64.9

$2.09 ฿67

-2.87%

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

$0.79 ฿25.13

$0.65 ฿20.83

21.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.32

$0.34 ฿10.96

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ฿67.5

$2.22 ฿71.2

-4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿115

$3.67 ฿117

-1.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿55.3

$1.75 ฿56.1

-1.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿50.3

$1.35 ฿43.35

16.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.2 ฿38.4

$1.27 ฿40.57

-5.51%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿64.4

$2.12 ฿68

-5.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.01 ฿512

$16.89 ฿540

-5.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 ฿100

$3 ฿95.9

4.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 ฿346

$11.17 ฿357

-3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿84.7

$2.86 ฿91.5

-7.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿38.76

$1.19 ฿38.19

1.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿54.1

$1.83 ฿58.7

-7.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿50.6

$1.51 ฿48.16

4.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.31

$1.5 ฿48.08

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿37.05

$1.2 ฿38.52

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.01

$1.02 ฿32.58

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿16.83

$0.48 ฿15.44

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿145

$4.26 ฿136

6.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 ฿590

$18.79 ฿601

-1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿59.5

$1.75 ฿56

6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ฿107

$2.7 ฿86.2

23.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ฿30.56

$0.94 ฿30.16

2.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.24 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿43.62

$1.05 ฿33.56

29.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.14

$1.16 ฿37.09

16.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.78 ฿249

$6.04 ฿193

28.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿40.72

$1.27 ฿40.56

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

$21.5K ฿687K

$28.1K ฿899.6K

-23.64%

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

$22.2K ฿711.4K

$27.2K ฿871.2K

-18.34%

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

$70.4 ฿2,251

$73.6 ฿2,356

-4.44%

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

$13.97 ฿447

$13.36 ฿428

4.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿574

$18.72 ฿599

-4.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 ฿1,313

$49.59 ฿1,587

-17.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.8 ฿218

$12.17 ฿389

-44.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 ฿183

$6.95 ฿222

-17.84%

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

$302 ฿9,656

$294 ฿9,411

2.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿475.1K

$9,432 ฿301.8K

57.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 ฿1,795

$31.87 ฿1,020

75.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.69 ฿854

$34.36 ฿1,100

-22.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 ฿2,754

$82.3 ฿2,633

4.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 ฿2,252

$67.2 ฿2,149

4.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.7K

$450 ฿14.4K

-4.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 ฿7,769

$263 ฿8,420

-7.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 ฿25.8K

$803 ฿25.7K

0.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.4K

$668 ฿21.4K

-23.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,222 ฿71.1K

$2,431 ฿77.8K

-8.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,414 ฿45.3K

$1,816 ฿58.1K

-22.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$680 ฿21.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

-8.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 29, 2025

Last update for Pai: December 1, 2025

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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