Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sixth of October City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sixth of October City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $388 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $697 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,005 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 123% more than Sixth of October City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sixth of October City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sixth of October City 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$5.05 E£262

-61.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$34.98 E£1,816

-46.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.58 E£186

118.44%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.93 E£48.48

109.68%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.29 E£14.81

193.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.13 E£6.81

169.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.17 E£61.0

82.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.93 E£152

27.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.96 E£49.95

78.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.31 E£16.13

425.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.58 E£30.16

96.55%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.53 E£79.2

26.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.29 E£171

392.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.18 E£217

-25.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.45 E£387

46.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.21 E£62.9

127.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.62 E£32.15

95.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.31 E£16.33

422.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.27 E£14.10

488.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.35 E£18.36

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.20 E£10.25

485.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.17 E£8.92

288.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.18 E£9.19

194.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.64 E£84.9

185.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.36 E£70.5

32.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.78 E£92.4

81.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.31 E£16.27

190.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.39 E£20.16

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.43 E£22.29

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.02 E£52.8

668.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.30 E£15.32

323.33%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$35.0K E£1.8M

-39.28%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$32.9K E£1.7M

-32.53%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$12.09 E£627

471.30%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.17 E£528

38.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$4.93 E£256

265.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$49.71 E£2,580

-17.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.61 E£135

126.82%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$41.36 E£2,147

622.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$1,189 E£61.7K

1157.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$17.61 E£914

210.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$43.51 E£2,258

-38.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$78.9 E£4,093

7.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$54.1 E£2,806

30.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$59.9 E£3,109

614.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$34.95 E£1,814

579.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$160 E£8,315

400.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$97.8 E£5,075

427.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$772 E£40.1K

155.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$195 E£10.1K

655.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$271 E£14.1K

128.09%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sixth of October City: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $59.9 in Sixth of October City. 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 128% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Sixth of October City. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $101 in Sixth of October City – so Sixth of October City 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 Sixth of October City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 123% more than Sixth of October City, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $583 in Sixth of October City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Sixth of October City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 143% 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 $388 in Sixth of October City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sixth of October City costs $388 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 Sixth of October City. 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.