Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Qingdao, Shandong Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Qingdao, Shandong

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 5.1% more expensive than Qingdao, Shandong without rent, and 14.1% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 2.5% more expensive than Qingdao, Shandong without rent, and 6.8% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Qingdao, Shandong
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$3.41 ¥24.46
-40.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$18.17 ¥130
3.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$4.52 ¥32.4
69.69%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$3.42 ¥24.52
-42.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.58 ¥4.14
41.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.31 ¥2.23
6.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$0.87 ¥6.24
143.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$2.03 ¥14.54
83.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Qingdao, Shandong
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.95 ¥14
-15.90%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$1.52 ¥10.9
3.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$0.92 ¥6.59
29.35%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$1.89 ¥13.55
4.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$14.68 ¥105
8.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$4.23 ¥30.37
-26.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$10.18 ¥73
9.63%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$1.37 ¥9.8
101.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$1.15 ¥8.26
6.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$1.91 ¥13.71
-10.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$1.01 ¥7.27
53.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$0.75 ¥5.36
78.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$1.09 ¥7.79
11.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$0.94 ¥6.72
-23.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.47 ¥3.37
12.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$3.98 ¥28.54
18.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$13.84 ¥99.3
32.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$1.04 ¥7.44
72.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$1.58 ¥11.32
103.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Qingdao, Shandong
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.3 ¥2.17
213.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$16.62 ¥119
13.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$1.43 ¥10.24
-0.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$0.32 ¥2.27
321.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$7.5 ¥53.8
4.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.11 ¥7.98
12.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$19.9K ¥143K
6.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$13.3K ¥95.2K
64.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Qingdao, Shandong
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$52.4 ¥376
34.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$10.92 ¥78.4
25.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$10.39 ¥74.5
69.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Qingdao, Shandong
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$26.42 ¥190
57.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$20.84 ¥149
-66.89%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$6.88 ¥49.31
-15.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Qingdao, Shandong
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$336 ¥2,412
-8.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$24.6K ¥176.6K
-40.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Qingdao, Shandong
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$77.9 ¥559
-28.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$38.63 ¥277
-31.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$79.8 ¥572
6.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$102 ¥735
-29.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Qingdao, Shandong
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$342 ¥2,456
26.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$190 ¥1,365
23.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$730 ¥5,233
12.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$415 ¥2,976
20.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$3,925 ¥28.2K
-44.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$2,394 ¥17.2K
-35.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Qingdao, Shandong
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$941 ¥6,750
-25.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
3.81
31.23%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Qingdao, Shandong: October 29, 2025

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