Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Palau

Name: Palau
Address: PW

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $1,985 in Palau, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
96

Cost of Living Index in Palau
Learn more

Palau Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

🇵🇼 Palau

$1,985

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 59.1% cheaper than Palau without rent, and 54.4% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 50.3% cheaper than Palau without rent, and 53.7% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$13.61 $13.61

-84.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿649

$75.1 $75.1

-74.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿183

$9.94 $9.94

-44.97%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.4

$4.04 $4.04

-58.42%

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

$0.66 ฿22.10

$1.40 $1.40

-52.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.52

$1.05 $1.05

-67.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.0

$1.53 $1.53

58.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$2.14 $2.14

74.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿68.9

$2.59 $2.59

-20.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.78

$3.05 $3.05

-52.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.09

$0.26 $0.26

419.23%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.0

$6.35 $6.35

-64.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿546

$9.95 $9.95

63.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.3

$13.65 $13.65

-80.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿308

$19.59 $19.59

-53.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.1

$5.37 $5.37

-55.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.66

$2.26 $2.26

-53.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.7

$5.57 $5.57

-71.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.37

$16.51 $16.51

-91.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.59

$4.70 $4.70

-72.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.29

$3.40 $3.40

-67.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.55

$1.98 $1.98

-64.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.99

$1.74 $1.74

-70.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿138

$14.91 $14.91

-72.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$22.37 $22.37

-20.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.7

$3.49 $3.49

-53.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.0

$3.40 $3.40

-15.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.81

$2.47 $2.47

-50.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.5

$5.86 $5.86

-60.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.2

$1.92 $1.92

-21.87%

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

$20.9K ฿698.3K

$17.8K $17.8K

17.30%

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

$26.7K ฿895.0K

$15.2K $15.2K

76.28%

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

$61.3 ฿2,051

$170 $170

-64.03%

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

$12.50 ฿419

$52.3 $52.3

-76.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿682

$198 $198

-89.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,270

$79.3 $79.3

-52.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿221

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

$774 ฿25.9K

$255 $255

203.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿483.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,835

$84.0 $84.0

-34.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿846

$65.4 $65.4

-61.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,032

$195 $195

-53.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$195 $195

-62.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$737 $737

-37.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,835

$530 $530

-44.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.8K

$2,156 $2,156

-57.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$934 $934

-40.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.8K

$773 $773

-23.40%

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: October 5, 2026

Last update for Palau: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8%

Palau

$530 26.7% 80.4% $236

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6%

Palau

$504 25.4% 113% $268

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9%

Palau

$243 12.2% 121% $133

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Palau

$420 21.2% 346% $326

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4%

Palau

$209 10.5% 170% $132

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Palau

$2.5 * 0.1% 95.9% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Palau

$79 * 4% 55.1% $28

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇼 Palau

🕒 Local time

17:38 5:38 PM

19:38 7:38 PM

2 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

21,729

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Palau 4,040 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Palau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 other spots: cost of living compared

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