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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $819 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,329 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,839 in Stilbaai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Stilbaai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Stilbaai are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Stilbaai 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.52 R 89.7

-64.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$44.44 R 722

-58.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.37 R 71.1

78.95%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.39 R 22.55

40.29%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.59 R 9.54

44.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.58 R 9.37

-39.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.83 R 45.94

-24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.71 R 27.87

118.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.81 R 13.17

111.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.55 R 8.98

196.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.64 R 26.62

-30.49%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.38 R 38.61

-18.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.51 R 73.2

259.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.38 R 71.1

-28.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.56 R 123

44.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.22 R 19.80

125.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.81 R 13.12

49.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.13 R 18.37

43.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.26 R 20.53

26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.33 R 5.30

324.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.18 R 19.25

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.87 R 14.14

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.54 R 8.78

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.17 R 51.5

47.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$4.86 R 79.0

283.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.83 R 13.44

116.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.10 R 17.85

193.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.60 R 26.02

-43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.37 R 22.21

2.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.28 R 4.57

360.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.55 R 74.0

72.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.26 R 20.40

0.79%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$16.9K R 274.0K

26.18%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$16.6K R 269.2K

34.09%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$52.1 R 847

32.47%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$33.16 R 539

-57.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$27.81 R 452

-35.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$31.09 R 505

32.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.16 R 83.9

14.73%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$216 R 3,506

38.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,114 R 18.1K

1242.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$27.55 R 448

98.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$17.07 R 277

56.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$55.0 R 893

54.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$57.1 R 928

23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$357 R 5,804

19.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$340 R 5,529

-30.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$684 R 11.1K

17.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$701 R 11.4K

-26.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$844 R 13.7K

133.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$744 R 12.1K

98.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$2,412 R 39.2K

-74.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.77

-57.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stilbaai: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $357 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 291% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Stilbaai. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $139 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 6% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,229 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $44.00 in Stilbaai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $819 in Stilbaai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stilbaai costs $819 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 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.