Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Shahrekord

For one person, living is cheaper in Shahrekord: $526 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 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
25

Cost of Living Index in Shahrekord
Learn more

Shahrekord Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Shahrekord

🇮🇷 Iran

$526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Shahrekord actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $526 in Shahrekord, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Shahrekord $526

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $831 in Shahrekord, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Shahrekord $831

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,135 in Shahrekord, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Shahrekord $1,135

Chiang Mai costs about 78% more than Shahrekord, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Shahrekord are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Shahrekord 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$2.45 $2.45

-13.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$15.81 $15.81

17.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$4.04 $4.04

38.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$0.67 $0.67

147.76%

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

$0.65 ฿21.82

$0.43 $0.43

51.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.98 $0.98

-69.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$0.69 $0.69

192.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.52 $0.52

171.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.94

$2.01 $2.01

-30.85%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$1.18 $1.18

100.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$4.31 $4.31

283.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$3.43 $3.43

-22.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$10.15 $10.15

-11.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$1.06 $1.06

126.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.12

$1.60 $1.60

-35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$0.82 $0.82

102.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$0.56 $0.56

178.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.75

$0.53 $0.53

133.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.65

$0.47 $0.47

131.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$0.58 $0.58

31.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.34

$0.26 $0.26

96.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.81 $0.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 $1.33

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$2.56 $2.56

60.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.52

$0.15 $0.15

520.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,784

$9.88 $9.88

435.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$0.39 $0.39

202.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

$0.31 $0.31

-45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$2.64 $2.64

-31.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.67

$0.09 $0.09

1533.33%

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

$21.0K ฿708.7K

$50.5K $50.5K

-58.39%

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

$26.5K ฿894.4K

$46.7K $46.7K

-43.16%

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

$62.6 ฿2,110

$13.03 $13.03

380.12%

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

$11.60 ฿391

$1.54 $1.54

653.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$3.81 $3.81

432.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$18.95 $18.95

99.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$13.65 $13.65

-72.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$1.96 $1.96

232.14%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$107 $107

579.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.0K

$2,392 $2,392

592.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,806

$23.02 $23.02

132.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

$28.71 $28.71

-13.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,049

$95.6 $95.6

-5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$73.1 $73.1

-1.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$291 $291

65.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$214 $214

44.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$805 $805

31.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$362 $362

82.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

$889 $889

171.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

$499 $499

222.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

$201 $201

196.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

24.3

-77.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Shahrekord: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Shahrekord

$214 40.6% 31% $96

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Shahrekord

$114 21.7% 51.7% $122

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Shahrekord

$99 18.9% 8.4% $9.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Shahrekord

$18 3.5% 80.5% $76

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Shahrekord

$45 8.6% 40.7% $31

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Shahrekord

$12 2.4% 78.8% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Shahrekord

$23 4.3% 55.1% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $291 in Shahrekord. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $16 in Shahrekord. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $114 – making Shahrekord the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇷 Shahrekord

🕒 Local time

20:16 8:16 PM

16:46 4:46 PM

3 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

129,153

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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).

USD exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Shahrekord 5,010 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Shahrekord

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 Shahrekord: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 78% more than Shahrekord, 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 $790 in Shahrekord. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shahrekord, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $291 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $107 in Shahrekord. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 107% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Shahrekord – 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 Shahrekord. 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.