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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $686 in Seki, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,136 in Seki, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,586 in Seki, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Seki, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Seki are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Seki 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.65 ₼14.69

-77.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$35.32 ₼60.0

-47.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.43 ₼12.63

5.25%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.67 ₼6.24

-46.87%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.78 ₼1.32

8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.44 ₼0.74

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.79 ₼3.05

18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.89 ₼4.91

29.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.38 ₼2.34

23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.51 ₼0.86

219.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.36 ₼4.00

-51.69%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.39 ₼2.37

38.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.37 ₼9.13

201.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.74 ₼8.06

-34.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.35 ₼17.60

5.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.34 ₼2.28

105.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.72 ₼2.93

-29.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.53 ₼2.60

5.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.79 ₼3.04

-11.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.83 ₼1.41

68.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.52 ₼0.89

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.40 ₼0.67

65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.61 ₼1.04

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.43 ₼5.82

36.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.99 ₼15.27

107.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.40 ₼2.38

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.77 ₼4.71

16.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.02 ₼3.43

-30.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.61 ₼1.03

111.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.60 ₼6.12

117.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.70 ₼1.19

81.43%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$20.4K ₼34.7K

4.06%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$22.2K ₼37.7K

0.22%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$23.21 ₼39.44

197.59%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.58 ₼14.59

64.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$10.98 ₼18.66

63.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$17.53 ₼29.79

134.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.92 ₼10.05

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

$299 ฿9,766

$254 ₼431

17.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,556 ₼11.1K

128.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$58.9 ₼100

-7.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$53.6 ₼91.1

-50.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$125 ₼212

-32.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$99.2 ₼169

-28.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$176 ₼299

143.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$108 ₼184

118.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$315 ₼535

154.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$199 ₼338

159.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$652 ₼1,109

202.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$346 ₼588

326.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$251 ₼426

146.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.87

-43.63%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Seki: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $176 in Seki. 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 146% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Seki. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $180 in Seki – so Seki 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 Seki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Seki, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,028 in Seki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seki, 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 $35.00 in Seki. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $686 in Seki, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Seki costs $686 versus $866 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 Seki. 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.