Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Qusar

For one person, living is cheaper in Qusar: $741 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Qusar
Learn more

Qusar Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Qusar

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

$741

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Qusar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Qusar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $741 in Qusar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Qusar $741

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,106 in Qusar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Qusar $1,106

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,472 in Qusar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Qusar $1,472

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Qusar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Qusar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Qusar 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$7.64 ₼12.98

-72.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$17.87 ₼30.37

4.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$7.96 ₼13.53

-29.65%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$1.80 ₼3.06

-7.78%

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

$0.65 ฿21.82

$0.68 ₼1.16

-4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.25 ₼0.43

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

$1.50 ₼2.55

54.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$1.75 ₼2.97

109.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$0.87 ₼1.48

132.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.30 ₼0.51

370.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.94

$1.37 ₼2.32

1.46%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$1.11 ₼1.88

113.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$3.80 ₼6.47

334.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$3.10 ₼5.26

-13.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$6.87 ₼11.68

31.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$0.45 ₼0.76

433.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.12

$1.44 ₼2.44

-27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.16 ₼1.97

43.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$1.84 ₼3.12

-15.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.75

$0.25 ₼0.42

396.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.65

$0.60 ₼1.02

81.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$0.17 ₼0.28

347.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.34

$0.34 ₼0.57

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$2.86 ₼4.86

44.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

$8.57 ₼14.56

109.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$1.53 ₼2.61

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$2.92 ₼4.97

-3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.52

$0.23 ₼0.39

304.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,784

$11.89 ₼20.20

344.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$1.17 ₼1.98

0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

$0.57 ₼0.97

-70.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$2.39 ₼4.07

-24.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.67

$0.60 ₼1.03

145.00%

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

$21.0K ฿708.7K

$19.1K ₼32.4K

10.27%

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

$26.5K ฿894.4K

$22.7K ₼38.6K

16.64%

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

$62.6 ฿2,110

$47.58 ₼80.9

31.48%

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

$11.60 ฿391

$11.24 ₼19.10

3.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$11.59 ₼19.69

75.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$19.40 ₼32.97

95.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$11.97 ₼20.35

-69.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$5.47 ₼9.29

19.01%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$70.6 ₼120

929.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.0K

$3,573 ₼6,072

363.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,806

$40.63 ₼69.1

31.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

$40.83 ₼69.4

-39.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,049

$105 ₼179

-14.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$69.6 ₼118

3.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$333 ₼566

44.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$256 ₼435

21.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$494 ₼840

114.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$399 ₼678

65.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

$1,386 ₼2,356

74.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

$1,220 ₼2,074

31.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

$421 ₼715

41.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.85

-29.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Qusar: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Qusar

$256 34.5% 17.4% $54

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Qusar

$131 17.7% 44.6% $106

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Qusar

$115 15.6% 6.5% $7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Qusar

$70 9.5% 25.5% $24

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Qusar

$121 16.4% 58.4% $45

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Qusar

$17 2.3% 71.3% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Qusar

$30 4.1% 40.4% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $333 in Qusar. 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 41% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $18 in Qusar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $131 – making Qusar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇿 Qusar

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

11:36 11:36 AM

3 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

18,600

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Azerbaijani Manat AZN ₼

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 AZN = 0.588 USD

1 AZN = 0.525 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AZN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Azerbaijani Manat exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 1.7 AZN (1 AZN = 0.588 USD). 1 EUR = 1.91 AZN (1 AZN = 0.525 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Qusar 5,380 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Qusar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Qusar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Qusar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,112 in Qusar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qusar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $333 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $71 in Qusar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Qusar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Qusar. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.