Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Papeete

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,283 in Papeete, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Papeete
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Papeete Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Papeete

🇵🇫 French Polynesia

$2,283

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Papeete

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Papeete actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,283 in Papeete, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Papeete $2,283

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,451 in Papeete, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Papeete $3,451

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,620 in Papeete, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Papeete $4,620

Chiang Mai is about 59% cheaper than Papeete, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Papeete is 68% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$18.56 CFPF 1,983

-87.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$95.4 CFPF 10.2K

-80.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$14.54 CFPF 1,553

-61.83%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$3.41 CFPF 364

-51.03%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$2.62 CFPF 280

-75.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$3.25 CFPF 347

-90.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$3.35 CFPF 358

-29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$3.76 CFPF 402

-2.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.49 CFPF 159

30.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$2.75 CFPF 293

-47.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$1.61 CFPF 172

-17.39%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$6.36 CFPF 679

-64.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$27.25 CFPF 2,911

-39.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$15.12 CFPF 1,616

-81.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$26.88 CFPF 2,872

-65.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$4.79 CFPF 512

-50.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$2.42 CFPF 258

-59.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$6.39 CFPF 683

-74.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$7.76 CFPF 830

-80.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$2.64 CFPF 282

-51.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$2.18 CFPF 233

-49.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$3.65 CFPF 390

-80.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$1.14 CFPF 121

-57.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$12.97 CFPF 1,386

-68.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$21.00 CFPF 2,244

-16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$2.69 CFPF 288

-40.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$3.19 CFPF 340

-12.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$1.91 CFPF 204

-54.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$9.23 CFPF 986

-87.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$1.51 CFPF 162

-3.97%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$18.4K CFPF 2.0M

14.51%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$27.8K CFPF 3.0M

-3.02%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$179 CFPF 19.2K

-65.35%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$19.50 CFPF 2,084

-37.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$70.8 CFPF 7,560

-71.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$84.0 CFPF 8,976

-55.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$14.21 CFPF 1,518

-54.33%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$461 CFPF 49.3K

59.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$9,248 CFPF 988.1K

59.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$69.2 CFPF 7,390

-22.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$70.5 CFPF 7,528

-65.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$77.7 CFPF 8,299

17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$89.3 CFPF 9,543

-19.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,328 CFPF 141.9K

-63.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$947 CFPF 101.2K

-67.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,806 CFPF 193.0K

-44.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$1,513 CFPF 161.6K

-58.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$7,081 CFPF 756.6K

-66.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$7,507 CFPF 802.1K

-78.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$2,222 CFPF 237.4K

-73.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.5

23.78%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Papeete: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Papeete

$947 41.5% 207% $639

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Papeete

$517 22.7% 121% $283

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Papeete

$138 6% 27% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Papeete

$270 11.8% 186% $175

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Papeete

$281 12.3% 262% $203

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Papeete

$17 * 0.7% 72.5% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Papeete

$112 4.9% 124% $62

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,328 in Papeete. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Papeete are about 3.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $95 in Papeete. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $517 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇫 Papeete

🕒 Local time

14:32 2:32 PM

21:32 9:32 PM

17 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

26,050 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.36 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.39 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 107 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.36 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.39 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Papeete 12,820 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Papeete

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 Papeete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Papeete costs about 144% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,424 in Papeete. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,328 in Papeete.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $95 in Papeete. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 121% more in Papeete, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $2,283 in Papeete. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Papeete makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.