Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Phnom Penh Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Phnom Penh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $963 in Phnom Penh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,487 in Phnom Penh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,011 in Phnom Penh, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Phnom Penh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Phnom Penh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Phnom Penh 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.14 ៛20.7K

-62.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$29.79 ៛119.8K

-37.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.95 ៛27.9K

12.52%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.65 ៛10.7K

-26.42%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.02 ៛4,111

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.03 ៛4,154

-66.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.47 ៛5,900

44.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.55 ៛10.3K

46.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.07 ៛8,342

-17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.46 ៛5,853

11.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.03 ៛4,156

10.68%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.83 ៛7,346

5.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$12.64 ៛50.8K

28.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.04 ៛16.2K

-22.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.44 ៛42.0K

4.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$4.60 ៛18.5K

-40.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.62 ៛6,500

-25.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.81 ៛15.3K

-57.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.45 ៛5,823

9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.67 ៛6,719

-16.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.24 ៛4,992

-5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.40 ៛5,613

-52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.67 ៛2,689

-20.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.03 ៛8,167

131.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$11.90 ៛47.9K

56.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.02 ៛4,085

76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.70 ៛6,838

90.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.53 ៛6,138

-41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$10.79 ៛43.4K

78.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.04 ៛4,172

35.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.01 ៛4,065

27.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.61 ៛18.6K

70.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.18 ៛4,750

7.63%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$49.6K ៛199.6M

-57.14%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$36.8K ៛147.8M

-39.56%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$106 ៛426.7K

-34.92%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$6.41 ៛25.8K

119.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$23.17 ៛93.2K

-22.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$46.71 ៛187.8K

-12.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$14.54 ៛58.5K

-52.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.62 ៛18.6K

28.14%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$374 ៛1.5M

-20.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$11.7K ៛47.0M

27.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$22.36 ៛89.9K

144.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$22.30 ៛89.7K

20.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$89.9 ៛361.5K

-5.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$72.2 ៛290.4K

-2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$504 ៛2.0M

-15.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$280 ៛1.1M

-15.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,023 ៛4.1M

-21.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$567 ៛2.3M

-9.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,925 ៛11.8M

-32.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,484 ៛6.0M

-0.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$349 ៛1.4M

76.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.3

-51.46%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phnom Penh: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $504 in Phnom Penh. 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 77% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Phnom Penh. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $245 in Phnom Penh – so Phnom Penh 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 Phnom Penh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phnom Penh costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,445 in Phnom Penh. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $374 in Phnom Penh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Phnom Penh – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Phnom Penh at $963. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phnom Penh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $963 in Phnom Penh. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phnom Penh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.