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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,205 in Polva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,925 in Polva, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,645 in Polva, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 29% cheaper than Polva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Polva are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Polva 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$16.16 €13.83

-87.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$88.0 €75.4

-78.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$11.46 €9.81

-30.89%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.46 €3.82

-57.17%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.98 €2.55

-71.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.49 €2.13

-85.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$6.52 €5.58

-66.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$6.82 €5.84

-44.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.28 €1.10

28.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.41 €1.21

14.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.88 €2.46

-59.03%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.88 €2.46

-30.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$13.37 €11.45

18.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$9.73 €8.32

-69.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$23.44 €20.06

-54.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.22 €1.90

17.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.58 €1.35

-22.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.75 €2.35

-38.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.86 €3.30

-59.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.40 €1.20

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.98 €0.84

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.95 €1.67

-65.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.12 €0.96

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.77 €5.80

-33.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$11.59 €9.92

57.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.93 €1.65

-5.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.48 €2.12

30.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.26 €3.65

-68.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.80 €0.68

68.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$17.06 €14.60

-51.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.89 €1.62

-32.80%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.1K €27.5K

-34.14%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$33.7K €28.9K

-33.37%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$343 €294

-79.56%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$20.09 €17.20

-31.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$35.18 €30.11

-49.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$13.72 €11.74

-57.87%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$257 €220

18.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,032 €6,875

84.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$115 €98.5

-52.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$46.19 €39.54

-43.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$103 €88.2

-17.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$143 €123

-51.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.1

-1.96%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Polva: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $88.0 in Polva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $325 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Polva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Polva costs about 41% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,808 in Polva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $88.0 in Polva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Polva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,205 in Polva, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,205 in Polva. 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, Polva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.