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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $833 in Rayong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,415 in Rayong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,997 in Rayong, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Rayong, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Rayong are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Rayong 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.02 ฿98.3

-34.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$18.77 ฿611

0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.18 ฿201

25.40%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.59 ฿84.4

-25.87%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.58 ฿18.75

36.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.27 ฿8.71

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.84 ฿59.9

20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.13 ฿102

16.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.88 ฿61.4

-12.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.25 ฿40.74

30.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.25 ฿40.60

-4.80%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.25 ฿73.4

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$18.39 ฿599

-13.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$2.15 ฿70.2

40.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.21 ฿300

17.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.51 ฿81.9

9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.26 ฿41.06

-6.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.01 ฿65.5

-18.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.10 ฿35.72

38.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.22 ฿39.58

13.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.26 ฿40.88

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.80 ฿26.13

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.42 ฿13.63

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.42 ฿144

3.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$15.18 ฿495

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.84 ฿60.1

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.36 ฿110

-4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.96 ฿31.24

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.06 ฿34.55

28.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.16 ฿37.77

15.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.33 ฿206

23.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.19 ฿38.86

3.36%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$37.4K ฿1.2M

-42.17%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.5K ฿928.5K

-20.91%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$57.2 ฿1,863

23.30%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$12.86 ฿419

6.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$17.15 ฿559

1.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$68.7 ฿2,238

-39.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$18.70 ฿609

-62.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.91 ฿258

-27.05%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$594 ฿19.3K

-48.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$9,148 ฿297.9K

59.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$48.74 ฿1,588

14.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$38.08 ฿1,240

-31.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$77.2 ฿2,515

11.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$59.0 ฿1,923

22.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$420 ฿13.7K

2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$228 ฿7,432

4.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$819 ฿26.7K

-0.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$662 ฿21.6K

-22.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,988 ฿64.8K

-25.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$784 ฿25.5K

-21.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

-9.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rayong: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $420 in Rayong. 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 27% higher in Rayong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Rayong. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $233 in Rayong – so Rayong 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 Rayong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Rayong, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,249 in Rayong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rayong, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 in Rayong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $833 in Rayong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rayong costs $833 versus $869 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 Rayong. 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.