Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Prachin Buri Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Prachin Buri

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $862 in Prachin Buri, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,425 in Prachin Buri, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,987 in Prachin Buri, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Prachin Buri have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Prachin Buri are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Prachin Buri 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.73 ฿125

-47.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$30.74 ฿1,034

-40.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$9.06 ฿305

-17.44%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.06 ฿69.2

-1.94%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.86 ฿28.99

-1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.38 ฿12.62

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.43 ฿81.7

-11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.51 ฿84.3

43.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.50 ฿50.5

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.22 ฿40.90

28.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.01 ฿34.07

17.82%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.69 ฿57.0

14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$10.97 ฿369

47.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.54 ฿85.6

17.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.31 ฿380

-3.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.29 ฿111

-17.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.79 ฿26.41

48.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.92 ฿64.5

-11.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.10 ฿37.12

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.22 ฿41.16

13.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.16 ฿39.07

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.63 ฿54.9

-58.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.39 ฿12.97

43.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.72 ฿159

-1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$11.71 ฿394

50.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.74 ฿58.6

6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.31 ฿77.8

42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.95 ฿31.87

-7.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.10 ฿36.92

23.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.31 ฿44.03

2.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.41 ฿115

140.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.11 ฿37.20

9.91%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.7K ฿897.9K

-20.02%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$26.6K ฿894.3K

-15.28%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$76.9 ฿2,586

-8.08%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$13.64 ฿459

2.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$9.70 ฿326

80.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$49.10 ฿1,651

-14.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$12.06 ฿406

-42.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.73 ฿260

-23.42%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$294 ฿9,875

5.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$9,361 ฿314.8K

58.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$30.18 ฿1,015

84.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$19.58 ฿658

33.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$99.5 ฿3,347

-16.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$43.92 ฿1,477

60.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$425 ฿14.3K

1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$288 ฿9,702

-17.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$804 ฿27.0K

2.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$652 ฿21.9K

-21.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,999 ฿67.2K

-4.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,385 ฿46.6K

5.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$440 ฿14.8K

31.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

-8.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Prachin Buri: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $425 in Prachin Buri. 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 32% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Prachin Buri. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $206 in Prachin Buri – so Prachin Buri 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 Prachin Buri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,293 in Prachin Buri. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Prachin Buri – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $31.00 in Prachin Buri. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $862 in Prachin Buri, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $862 in Prachin Buri. 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, Prachin Buri makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.