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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $942 per month in Chiang Mai vs $464 in Qena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in Chiang Mai vs $737 in Qena, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,011 in Qena, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 103% more than Qena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Qena are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Qena 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.9

$3.85 E£198

-45.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ฿659

$15.57 E£803

27.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 ฿185

$5.65 E£291

-1.24%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿57.5

$1.83 E£94.4

-4.92%

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

$0.72 ฿23.82

$0.51 E£26.51

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.59

$0.15 E£7.65

113.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿74.5

$2.09 E£108

7.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿126

$3.09 E£159

23.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿66.8

$1.00 E£51.4

102.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.0

$0.58 E£29.82

170.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.21

$0.62 E£31.83

125.81%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿71.3

$1.87 E£96.3

14.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿518

$2.98 E£154

424.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.6

$5.64 E£291

-47.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ฿314

$9.45 E£487

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ฿86.2

$1.50 E£77.3

73.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿35.80

$0.50 E£25.60

116.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.7

$0.42 E£21.65

278.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.09

$0.42 E£21.82

245.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.26

$0.35 E£17.91

265.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿36.78

$0.37 E£19.15

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.04

$0.27 E£13.73

170.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.54

$0.15 E£7.98

233.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿141

$2.27 E£117

88.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿585

$7.29 E£376

142.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿55.7

$1.22 E£62.7

37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿92.8

$1.81 E£93.1

54.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.64

$0.21 E£10.89

314.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,794

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.15

$0.41 E£21.00

195.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.84

$0.18 E£9.50

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.0

$1.91 E£98.6

25.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.46

$0.45 E£23.28

224.44%

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

$21.0K ฿695.7K

$32.9K E£1.7M

-36.18%

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

$26.7K ฿883.8K

$22.3K E£1.1M

19.80%

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

$62.1 ฿2,055

$25.62 E£1,321

142.27%

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

$12.93 ฿428

$7.84 E£405

64.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ฿682

$9.63 E£497

114.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 ฿1,298

$17.69 E£913

121.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ฿216

$3.51 E£181

85.75%

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

$803 ฿26.6K

$97.5 E£5,027

723.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿486.6K

$604 E£31.2K

2332.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,850

$20.65 E£1,065

170.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ฿845

$33.79 E£1,743

-24.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ฿3,015

$114 E£5,871

-19.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,427

$29.50 E£1,522

148.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$131 E£6,771

268.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,542

$77.0 E£3,972

274.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ฿29.3K

$254 E£13.1K

248.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ฿17.3K

$146 E£7,545

257.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿65.9K

$764 E£39.4K

160.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,440 ฿47.7K

$417 E£21.5K

245.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

16.21

-65.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Last update for Qena: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $131 in Qena. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Qena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $134 – making Qena 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 Qena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 103% more than Qena, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai and $696 in Qena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $16.00 in Qena. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Qena, where all-in costs run around $464, than in Chiang Mai at $942. In Qena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Qena costs $464 versus $942 in Chiang Mai. 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 Qena. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.