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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $377 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $698 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,018 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 128% 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 36% lower, Sixth of October City 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.85 E£247

-59.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$35.16 E£1,795

-47.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.69 E£188

102.71%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.89 E£45.55

126.97%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.29 E£14.64

193.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.14 E£6.93

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.16 E£59.3

84.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.88 E£147

24.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.99 E£50.7

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.31 E£15.91

406.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.54 E£27.64

120.37%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.47 E£74.9

31.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$3.34 E£170

384.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.34 E£222

-31.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.49 E£382

46.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.17 E£59.5

131.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.60 E£30.65

95.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.29 E£14.72

482.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.25 E£12.67

540.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.33 E£16.66

318.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.18 E£9.36

566.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.19 E£9.65

252.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.14 E£7.18

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.72 E£87.7

169.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.37 E£69.8

35.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.84 E£94.2

79.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.31 E£15.93

183.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.41 E£21.12

231.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.46 E£23.27

191.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$1.04 E£53.0

689.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.30 E£15.25

306.67%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$35.0K E£1.8M

-39.02%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$33.1K E£1.7M

-31.96%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$11.84 E£604

496.88%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$10.14 E£518

38.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$4.90 E£250

256.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$49.50 E£2,527

-14.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$2.56 E£131

131.25%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$40.69 E£2,077

658.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$1,188 E£60.7K

1152.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$17.77 E£907

213.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$42.56 E£2,173

-38.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$79.0 E£4,031

5.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$54.8 E£2,796

28.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$59.1 E£3,019

630.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$35.82 E£1,828

567.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$159 E£8,140

415.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$98.5 E£5,026

420.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$810 E£41.3K

136.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$196 E£10.0K

648.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$278 E£14.2K

108.76%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sixth of October City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $59.1 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 109% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Sixth of October City. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 128% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $566 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 $18.00 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 140% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $377 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 $377 versus $861 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.