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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $546 in Seria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $893 in Seria, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,241 in Seria, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than Seria, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Seria are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Seria 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.10 BND 3.98

-37.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.55 BND 35.34

-32.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.59 BND 7.16

39.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 BND 2.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 BND 3.08

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$3.85 BND 4.94

-49.35%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.94 BND 1.20

-9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.60 BND 0.78

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.88 BND 2.41

-9.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.42 BND 1.83

14.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.26 BND 1.61

-9.52%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.37 BND 1.76

40.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.38 BND 8.19

154.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.33 BND 5.55

-27.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.45 BND 14.68

-4.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.11 BND 3.99

-11.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$2.53 BND 3.25

-52.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.03 BND 3.89

-46.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$2.76 BND 3.54

-42.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.66 BND 2.13

-15.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$2.14 BND 2.75

-45.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$3.37 BND 4.32

-80.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.75 BND 0.96

-29.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 BND 4.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 BND 1.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$15.34 BND 19.68

-69.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$4.81 BND 6.17

-70.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$11.77 BND 15.10

-33.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.32 BND 0.41

296.88%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$38.9K BND 49.9K

-45.34%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$36.8K BND 47.2K

-39.69%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$59.6 BND 76.4

15.91%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$15.44 BND 19.80

-8.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$64.1 BND 82.2

-71.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$27.29 BND 35.00

50.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.61 BND 7.19

5.53%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$156 BND 200

91.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$9,317 BND 12.0K

60.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$30.93 BND 39.67

76.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$27.30 BND 35.02

-1.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$50.6 BND 64.9

68.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$47.60 BND 61.1

48.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$697 BND 894

-11.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

23.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Seria: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 13% higher in Seria, 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 $28.00 in Seria. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Seria – so Seria 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 Seria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than Seria, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $819 in Seria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Seria. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $546 in Seria, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Seria costs $546 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 Seria. 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.