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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $935 in Pomorie, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,475 in Pomorie, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,015 in Pomorie, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Pomorie are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Pomorie 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$11.86 BGN 19.81

-83.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$40.51 BGN 67.7

-54.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$9.03 BGN 15.07

-16.94%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$1.97 BGN 3.29

-2.03%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.37 BGN 2.30

-43.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$1.01 BGN 1.68

-68.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.01 BGN 3.36

6.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.90 BGN 4.85

27.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.94 BGN 3.24

-11.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.90 BGN 1.51

73.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.94 BGN 3.24

-39.18%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.40 BGN 5.68

-41.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$10.76 BGN 17.96

49.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$8.08 BGN 13.49

-60.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$11.60 BGN 19.37

-5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.66 BGN 2.78

58.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.12 BGN 3.54

-44.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.98 BGN 3.31

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$2.57 BGN 4.29

-40.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.15 BGN 1.92

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.33 BGN 2.22

-12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.21 BGN 2.02

-45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.73 BGN 1.22

-30.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$3.70 BGN 6.18

22.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$5.39 BGN 9.00

239.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.02 BGN 1.71

76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.69 BGN 2.82

88.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.84 BGN 1.41

7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$26.73 BGN 44.63

-28.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$1.19 BGN 1.99

18.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.67 BGN 1.12

95.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$11.70 BGN 19.55

-30.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.54 BGN 2.57

-16.88%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$32.1K BGN 53.7K

-33.73%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$25.4K BGN 42.4K

-14.50%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$93.3 BGN 156

-25.81%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$17.64 BGN 29.47

-20.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$13.92 BGN 23.25

28.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$29.34 BGN 48.99

44.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$14.71 BGN 24.56

-54.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$6.95 BGN 11.60

-14.82%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$234 BGN 390

28.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$4,090 BGN 6,830

263.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$43.90 BGN 73.3

28.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$29.30 BGN 48.93

-8.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$80.7 BGN 135

5.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$70.8 BGN 118

1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$417 BGN 697

4.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$234 BGN 390

2.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$473 BGN 790

68.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$352 BGN 588

41.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,877 BGN 3,134

6.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,117 BGN 1,866

37.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

9.41%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Pomorie: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $417 in Pomorie. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $41 in Pomorie. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $238 in Pomorie – so Pomorie 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 Pomorie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pomorie 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,403 in Pomorie. 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 $234 in Pomorie. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Pomorie – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $845 in Chiang Mai and $935 in Pomorie, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $935 in Pomorie. 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, Pomorie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.