Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Siem Reap

For one person, living is cheaper in Siem Reap: $809 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 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
39

Cost of Living Index in Siem Reap
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Siem Reap Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Siem Reap

🇰🇭 Cambodia

$809

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Siem Reap

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $809 in Siem Reap, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Siem Reap $809

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,245 in Siem Reap, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Siem Reap $1,245

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,681 in Siem Reap, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Siem Reap $1,681

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Siem Reap, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chiang Mai and Siem Reap are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Siem Reap 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$2.56 ៛10.4K

-10.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$24.07 ៛97.8K

-18.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$8.05 ៛32.7K

-30.31%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.67 ៛6,768

-0.60%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.72 ៛2,930

-2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.39 ៛1,584

-20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.01 ៛4,112

138.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.05 ៛8,336

80.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$2.15 ៛8,736

-9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$1.75 ៛7,091

-19.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$0.88 ៛3,590

48.86%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.70 ៛6,904

28.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$15.38 ៛62.5K

8.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$2.97 ៛12.1K

-7.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$10.07 ៛40.9K

-9.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$4.16 ៛16.9K

-42.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.22 ៛4,967

-15.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$3.67 ៛14.9K

-55.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.05 ៛4,261

42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.28 ៛5,197

0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.12 ៛4,556

-0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.36 ៛5,515

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.79 ៛3,213

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$1.34 ៛5,442

221.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$7.67 ៛31.2K

134.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$0.99 ៛4,014

59.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.30 ៛9,336

23.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$1.02 ៛4,152

-15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$15.21 ៛61.8K

250.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$2.04 ៛8,286

-40.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.99 ៛4,018

-42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$5.01 ៛20.4K

-53.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.30 ៛5,282

10.77%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$25.2K ៛102.3M

-17.71%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$22.6K ៛91.6M

18.83%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$101 ៛411.7K

-38.51%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$5.57 ៛22.6K

117.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$15.25 ៛61.9K

30.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$32.76 ៛133.1K

13.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$14.10 ៛57.3K

-73.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$4.97 ៛20.2K

30.78%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$280 ៛1.1M

182.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$4,373 ៛17.8M

238.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$25.83 ៛104.9K

108.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$13.17 ៛53.5K

86.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$68.3 ៛277.6K

32.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$44.97 ៛182.7K

58.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$336 ៛1.4M

35.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$236 ៛959.9K

26.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$672 ៛2.7M

35.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$429 ៛1.7M

28.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$2,484 ៛10.1M

-22.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,095 ៛4.4M

31.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$240 ៛976.6K

145.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.2

-39.46%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Siem Reap: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Siem Reap

$236 29.2% 20.7% $62

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Siem Reap

$234 29% 0.4% $1

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Siem Reap

$69 8.5% 36.6% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Siem Reap

$122 15.1% 29.5% $28

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Siem Reap

$78 9.7% 0.4% $0.4

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Siem Reap

$26 3.3% 56.8% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Siem Reap

$43 5.3% 14.7% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $336 in Siem Reap. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Siem Reap. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $234 in Siem Reap – so Siem Reap wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇭 Siem Reap

🕒 Local time

00:29 12:29 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

171,800

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Cambodian Riel KHR ៛

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 KHR = 2.46 USD

10,000 KHR = 2.19 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KHR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Cambodian Riel exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 4,062 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.46 USD). 1 EUR = 4,567 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.19 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Siem Reap 800 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Siem Reap

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 Siem Reap: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Siem Reap, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,213 in Siem Reap. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $280 in Siem Reap. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 Siem Reap, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Siem Reap 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. Siem Reap costs $809 versus $925 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 Siem Reap. 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.