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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 2.7% cheaper than Pietermaritzburg without rent, and 16.8% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 17.7% cheaper than Pietermaritzburg without rent, and 13% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Pietermaritzburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$8 R 142
-74.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$43.14 R 767
-56.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$5.62 R 100
36.48%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$2.2 R 39.19
-10.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.87 R 15.49
-5.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.69 R 12.33
-52.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$1.69 R 30.08
25.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$2.36 R 42.04
58.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Pietermaritzburg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.03 R 18.4
59.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$0.86 R 15.24
82.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$1.52 R 27.01
-21.71%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$2.25 R 39.95
-12.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$7.19 R 128
122.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$4.83 R 85.9
-35.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$7.1 R 126
57.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$1.58 R 28.16
74.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$1.77 R 31.5
-31.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$2.01 R 35.73
-14.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$1.74 R 30.87
-10.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$1.53 R 27.17
-12.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$1.84 R 32.79
-34.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$1.24 R 22.07
-41.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.98 R 17.37
-45.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$2.85 R 50.6
65.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$3.31 R 58.9
455.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$1.45 R 25.76
23.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$1.7 R 30.2
88.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Pietermaritzburg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$2.67 R 47.54
-64.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$18.3 R 326
3.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$1.63 R 29.01
-12.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$0.52 R 9.27
159.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$3.91 R 69.6
100.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.24 R 22.13
0.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$23.4K R 416.2K
-9.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$22.9K R 407.7K
-4.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Pietermaritzburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$230 R 4,094
-69.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$30.34 R 540
-54.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$56.9 R 1,012
-69.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Pietermaritzburg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$37.89 R 674
9.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$5.12 R 91
13.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Pietermaritzburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$150 R 2,666
105.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$4,782 R 85K
207.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Pietermaritzburg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$61.7 R 1,097
-10.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$38.2 R 679
-30.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$181 R 3,222
-53.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$76.1 R 1,354
-5.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Pietermaritzburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$209 R 3,716
107.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$190 R 3,376
23.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$513 R 9,129
59.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$386 R 6,863
29.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$719 R 12.8K
203.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$416 R 7,405
270.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Pietermaritzburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$862 R 15.3K
-18.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
11.5
-56.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: October 29, 2025

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