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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $899 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,444 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,990 in Stilbaai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Stilbaai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Stilbaai are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Stilbaai 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$6.29 R 101

-66.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$48.88 R 787

-59.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$4.85 R 78.1

20.62%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$1.56 R 25.20

12.82%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.65 R 10.41

13.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.60 R 9.66

-45.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$3.04 R 49.03

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$1.83 R 29.41

112.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$0.82 R 13.19

131.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$0.61 R 9.76

173.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.81 R 29.23

-25.41%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.95 R 47.55

-27.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$4.89 R 78.8

224.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$4.96 R 79.9

-42.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$8.55 R 138

23.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$1.35 R 21.71

76.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$0.97 R 15.56

10.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.21 R 19.52

25.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.33 R 21.48

12.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$0.38 R 6.16

236.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.47 R 23.73

-25.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.91 R 14.66

-24.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.60 R 9.62

-18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.50 R 56.4

22.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$4.81 R 77.5

248.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$0.98 R 15.81

69.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$1.21 R 19.54

132.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$1.59 R 25.54

-43.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$0.60 R 9.72

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$0.32 R 5.22

68.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$5.07 R 81.6

-53.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.46 R 23.55

-2.05%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$18.2K R 292.8K

15.95%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$18.8K R 302.7K

44.37%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$56.8 R 915

14.00%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$31.15 R 502

-57.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$30.96 R 499

-37.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$32.41 R 522

21.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$5.43 R 87.5

21.92%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$242 R 3,894

233.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$1,221 R 19.7K

1137.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$31.20 R 502

75.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$18.43 R 297

37.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$62.6 R 1,009

46.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$62.6 R 1,009

19.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$402 R 6,476

16.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$369 R 5,936

-23.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$744 R 12.0K

19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$768 R 12.4K

-32.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$888 R 14.3K

123.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$634 R 10.2K

130.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$2,513 R 40.5K

-76.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.16

-50.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Stilbaai: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $402 in Stilbaai. 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 325% higher in Stilbaai, 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 $49.00 in Stilbaai. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $154 in Stilbaai – so Stilbaai 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 Stilbaai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Stilbaai, 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,348 in Stilbaai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stilbaai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $49.00 in Stilbaai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stilbaai, where all-in costs run around $899, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Stilbaai 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. Stilbaai costs $899 versus $920 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 Stilbaai. 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.