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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,064 in Side, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,659 in Side, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,254 in Side, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Side, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Side are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Side 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$7.55 ₺349

-74.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$22.73 ₺1,052

-19.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$6.29 ₺291

25.12%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.75 ₺127

-29.09%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$1.70 ₺78.6

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.44 ₺20.18

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$2.98 ₺138

-28.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$4.18 ₺193

-11.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$0.90 ₺41.68

84.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$1.01 ₺46.55

54.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$0.92 ₺42.49

29.35%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$1.73 ₺80.2

15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$8.29 ₺384

95.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$5.24 ₺242

-39.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$16.33 ₺756

-33.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$1.04 ₺48.34

154.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$2.08 ₺96.4

-41.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$0.73 ₺33.73

126.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.12 ₺51.7

38.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.56 ₺25.93

137.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.43 ₺19.79

181.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.32 ₺61.2

-48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.32 ₺14.69

78.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$2.04 ₺94.4

129.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$12.74 ₺590

33.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.70 ₺78.8

7.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.06 ₺95.1

54.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.67 ₺31.07

35.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$30.09 ₺1,393

-37.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$1.05 ₺48.70

34.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.61 ₺28.33

119.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$7.61 ₺352

6.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.17 ₺54.2

9.40%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$40.8K ₺1.9M

-46.48%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$41.4K ₺1.9M

-45.88%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$47.70 ₺2,208

47.76%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$8.04 ₺372

74.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$6.26 ₺290

181.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$42.78 ₺1,980

-3.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$6.20 ₺287

-3.87%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$611 ₺28.3K

-50.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$9,046 ₺418.7K

65.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$75.3 ₺3,485

-27.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$44.64 ₺2,066

-41.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$161 ₺7,468

-46.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$111 ₺5,154

-37.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$514 ₺23.8K

-16.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$389 ₺18.0K

-38.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$875 ₺40.5K

-7.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$700 ₺32.4K

-27.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$1,208 ₺55.9K

67.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$908 ₺42.0K

65.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-75.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Side: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $514 in Side. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Side. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $206 in Side – so Side 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 Side: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Side costs about 25% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,596 in Side. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $611 in Side. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Side – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $848, than in Side at $1,064. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Side it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,064 in Side. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Side makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.