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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $717 in Qiqihar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,124 in Qiqihar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,532 in Qiqihar, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Qiqihar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Qiqihar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Qiqihar 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$2.84 ¥19.03

-26.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$21.31 ¥143

-6.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$4.84 ¥32.39

19.63%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$3.05 ¥20.41

-40.00%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.47 ¥3.15

65.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.27 ¥1.78

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$0.92 ¥6.16

154.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.08 ¥13.92

77.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.81 ¥12.09

12.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.54 ¥10.29

3.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.97 ¥6.52

46.39%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.58 ¥10.60

37.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$12.80 ¥85.8

24.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$3.14 ¥21.03

-2.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.17 ¥68.1

-2.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.89 ¥12.66

39.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.22 ¥8.15

-9.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.52 ¥10.19

7.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.13 ¥7.59

35.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.74 ¥4.95

67.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.96 ¥6.40

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.56 ¥3.78

32.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.54 ¥3.64

-7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$3.09 ¥20.68

38.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$10.49 ¥70.2

71.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$0.78 ¥5.26

117.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.58 ¥10.55

83.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.27 ¥1.78

248.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$16.49 ¥110

235.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.38 ¥9.22

-10.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.35 ¥2.37

51.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$6.60 ¥44.17

-63.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.18 ¥7.90

22.03%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$19.4K ¥130.1K

9.08%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$17.0K ¥114.1K

60.21%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$44.84 ¥300

44.80%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$9.84 ¥65.9

35.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$11.66 ¥78.1

78.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$41.22 ¥276

-1.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$13.81 ¥92.5

-71.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$5.75 ¥38.48

16.70%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$331 ¥2,217

137.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$16.6K ¥111.4K

-9.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$44.01 ¥295

27.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$30.77 ¥206

-18.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$72.9 ¥488

27.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$71.8 ¥481

4.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$281 ¥1,885

71.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$191 ¥1,282

50.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$593 ¥3,975

53.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$356 ¥2,385

49.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$3,031 ¥20.3K

-34.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$2,046 ¥13.7K

-29.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.89

43.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Qiqihar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $281 in Qiqihar. 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 $21.00 in Qiqihar. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $198 in Qiqihar – so Qiqihar 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 Qiqihar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Qiqihar, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,076 in Qiqihar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $331 in Qiqihar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 Qiqihar, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Qiqihar 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. Qiqihar costs $717 versus $950 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 Qiqihar. 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.