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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $562 in Quba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $903 in Quba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,243 in Quba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Quba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Quba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Quba 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$8.35 ₼14.18

-75.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$28.95 ₼49.19

-32.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.75 ₼9.77

-1.39%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.20 ₼2.05

50.83%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.45 ₼0.76

71.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.30 ₼0.51

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.19 ₼2.02

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.29 ₼3.90

65.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.36 ₼2.31

50.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.35 ₼0.60

331.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.20 ₼2.05

16.67%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.18 ₼2.00

91.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$1.73 ₼2.94

835.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$2.88 ₼4.90

0.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.77 ₼14.91

7.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$0.68 ₼1.15

294.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.28 ₼2.17

-14.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.38 ₼2.34

17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.01 ₼1.72

44.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.65 ₼1.10

96.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.52 ₼0.89

103.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.43 ₼0.74

67.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.59 ₼1.01

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.60 ₼6.11

17.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.18 ₼8.81

253.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.87 ₼1.47

87.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.87 ₼3.18

55.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.27 ₼0.46

225.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.20 ₼2.03

-2.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.30 ₼0.52

93.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$2.91 ₼4.95

-17.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.63 ₼1.07

130.16%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$27.0K ₼45.9K

-22.14%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$26.3K ₼44.7K

0.38%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$33.98 ₼57.7

87.32%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$12.74 ₼21.66

1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$14.53 ₼24.69

41.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$38.14 ₼64.8

2.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$4.03 ₼6.85

63.28%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$282 ₼479

178.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$16.4K ₼27.8K

-10.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$17.95 ₼30.51

207.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$28.83 ₼48.99

-14.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$126 ₼214

-25.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$35.06 ₼59.6

110.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$176 ₼299

178.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$118 ₼201

143.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$270 ₼459

230.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$175 ₼298

197.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$205 ₼348

193.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-72.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Quba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $176 in Quba. 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 194% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Quba. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $124 in Quba – so Quba 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 Quba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Quba, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $843 in Quba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quba, 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 $29.00 in Quba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 94% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Quba, where all-in costs run around $562, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Quba 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. Quba costs $562 versus $932 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 Quba. 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.