Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Phitsanulok

For one person, living is cheaper in Phitsanulok: $899 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $430 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Phitsanulok
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Phitsanulok Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Phitsanulok

🇹🇭 Thailand

$899

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Phitsanulok actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $899 in Phitsanulok, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Phitsanulok $899

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,474 in Phitsanulok, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Phitsanulok $1,474

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,049 in Phitsanulok, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Phitsanulok $2,049

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Phitsanulok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Phitsanulok are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Phitsanulok 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$2.19 ฿73.7

-2.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$18.49 ฿624

0.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$5.55 ฿187

0.90%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$1.66 ฿56.2

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

$0.65 ฿21.82

$0.70 ฿23.63

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.34 ฿11.31

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

$2.42 ฿81.5

-4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$3.77 ฿127

-2.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$1.94 ฿65.5

4.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$1.49 ฿50.4

-5.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.94

$1.33 ฿45.00

4.51%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$2.33 ฿78.6

1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$16.54 ฿558

-0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$2.67 ฿90.2

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$9.23 ฿311

-2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$2.46 ฿82.9

-2.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.12

$1.09 ฿36.71

-4.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.60 ฿54.1

3.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$1.57 ฿53.1

-0.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.75

$1.26 ฿42.49

-1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.65

$1.08 ฿36.55

0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$0.76 ฿25.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.34

$0.55 ฿18.62

-7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$4.29 ฿145

-3.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

$17.76 ฿599

0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$1.56 ฿52.6

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$2.79 ฿94.0

1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.52

$0.83 ฿28.11

12.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,784

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$1.16 ฿39.25

1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

$0.17 ฿5.68

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$1.73 ฿58.4

4.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.67

$1.42 ฿47.85

3.52%

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

$21.0K ฿708.7K

$21.0K ฿707.4K

0.20%

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

$26.5K ฿894.4K

$26.6K ฿898.1K

-0.42%

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

$62.6 ฿2,110

$62.0 ฿2,091

0.92%

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

$11.60 ฿391

$11.83 ฿399

-1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$19.68 ฿664

3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$48.82 ฿1,647

-22.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$13.13 ฿443

-71.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$6.41 ฿216

1.56%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$747 ฿25.2K

-2.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.0K

$16.8K ฿566.0K

-1.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,806

$55.1 ฿1,857

-2.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

$25.23 ฿851

-1.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,049

$90.6 ฿3,054

-0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$71.4 ฿2,408

0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$438 ฿14.8K

9.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$315 ฿10.6K

-1.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$1,103 ฿37.2K

-4.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$780 ฿26.3K

-15.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

$1,893 ฿63.9K

27.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

$1,488 ฿50.2K

8.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

$469 ฿15.8K

26.88%

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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Phitsanulok: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Phitsanulok

$315 35% 1.5% $4.6

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Phitsanulok

$237 26.4% 0.3% $0.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Phitsanulok

$109 12.1% 0.6% $0.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Phitsanulok

$94 10.4% 1% $1

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Phitsanulok

$78 8.7% 1.7% $1.3

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Phitsanulok

$5.3 * 0.6% 90.9% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Phitsanulok

$62 6.9% 21.1% $11

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $438 in Phitsanulok. 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 27% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $18 in Phitsanulok. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $237 in Phitsanulok – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Phitsanulok

🕒 Local time

16:10 4:10 PM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

66,106

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Chiang Mai Phitsanulok 260 km

From you

Chiang Mai
Phitsanulok

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 Phitsanulok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Phitsanulok, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $1,349 in Phitsanulok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $481 in Chiang Mai and $438 in Phitsanulok. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $899 in Phitsanulok. That makes Phitsanulok about 4% cheaper.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $18 in Phitsanulok. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $899 in Phitsanulok. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $899 in Phitsanulok to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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