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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $720 in Shenyang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,390 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,063 in Shenyang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,407 in Shenyang, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Shenyang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Shenyang are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Shenyang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 ฿67.9

$2.93 ¥19.75

-29.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.99 ฿659

$22.21 ¥150

-10.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 ฿189

$5.29 ¥35.66

8.32%

Cappuccino

$1.71 ฿56.2

$2.49 ¥16.79

-31.33%

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

$0.73 ฿24.19

$0.46 ¥3.10

58.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.03

$0.38 ¥2.57

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿80.4

$0.85 ¥5.74

187.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 ฿127

$1.84 ¥12.39

109.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ฿64.1

$1.91 ¥12.87

1.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.43 ¥16.40

-33.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.94

$1.02 ¥6.86

30.39%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.9

$1.06 ¥7.12

108.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.29 ฿504

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 ฿92.4

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿355

$11.77 ¥79.3

-8.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 ฿81.3

$1.76 ¥11.84

40.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿35.98

$1.20 ¥8.12

-9.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ฿51.3

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿49.68

$1.52 ¥10.24

-0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.69

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.02

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.46

$0.57 ¥3.84

24.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.39

$0.69 ¥4.62

-23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 ฿139

$3.73 ¥25.10

12.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.47 ฿543

$16.72 ¥113

-1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$0.69 ¥4.67

149.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿93.8

$1.14 ¥7.67

150.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.67

$0.38 ¥2.56

144.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.6 ฿1,767

$12.78 ¥86.1

319.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ฿39.29

$1.31 ¥8.85

-9.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ฿18.02

$0.31 ¥2.09

77.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ฿81.4

$2.90 ¥19.53

-14.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.26 ¥8.52

18.25%

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

$21.1K ฿695.6K

$19.4K ¥130.9K

8.61%

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

$27.4K ฿902.1K

$18.4K ¥123.6K

49.09%

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

$64.5 ฿2,125

$75.1 ¥506

-14.12%

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

$13.08 ฿431

$15.39 ¥104

-15.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.72 ฿650

$15.00 ¥101

31.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.94 ฿1,284

$22.14 ¥149

75.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.96 ฿130

$10.71 ¥72.2

-63.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 ฿224

$5.82 ¥39.21

17.01%

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

$795 ฿26.2K

$493 ¥3,320

61.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿487.2K

$22.4K ¥150.9K

-34.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,853

$41.75 ¥281

34.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.71 ฿848

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,019

$58.5 ¥394

56.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 ฿2,407

$68.1 ¥459

7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿15.9K

$267 ¥1,797

81.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ฿9,257

$234 ¥1,579

19.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 ฿29.6K

$557 ¥3,753

61.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿17.0K

$392 ¥2,638

31.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,009 ฿66.3K

$2,258 ¥15.2K

-11.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,458 ฿48.1K

$1,301 ¥8,765

12.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 ฿19.6K

$1,093 ¥7,365

-45.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.37

27.46%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 10, 2026

Last update for Shenyang: August 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $267 in Shenyang. 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 84% higher in Shenyang, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Shenyang. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $160 in Shenyang – so Shenyang 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 Shenyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Shenyang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,368 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,080 in Shenyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shenyang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $795 per month in Chiang Mai and $493 in Shenyang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shenyang, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Chiang Mai at $912. In Shenyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shenyang costs $720 versus $912 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 Shenyang. 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.