Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Stony Hill Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Stony Hill

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,618 in Stony Hill, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,831 in Stony Hill, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,043 in Stony Hill, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 42% cheaper than Stony Hill, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Stony Hill is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$15.93 JMD 2,497

-86.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$74.6 JMD 11.7K

-73.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.03 JMD 1,415

-37.21%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$5.49 JMD 860

-67.03%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.16 JMD 182

-33.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.66 JMD 103

-46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.89 JMD 296

16.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.14 JMD 492

20.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$3.26 JMD 511

-37.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.56 JMD 244

-3.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.65 JMD 259

-15.15%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$3.32 JMD 521

-31.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$11.54 JMD 1,809

40.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$5.01 JMD 785

-42.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$2.83 JMD 443

232.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$6.10 JMD 956

-56.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$3.81 JMD 598

-71.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.14 JMD 649

-60.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$2.59 JMD 406

-43.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$2.82 JMD 441

-54.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.93 JMD 303

-45.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.55 JMD 244

-53.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$1.46 JMD 229

-63.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$9.49 JMD 1,487

-55.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$11.35 JMD 1,778

61.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.95 JMD 462

-44.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$3.99 JMD 626

-27.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.21 JMD 190

-3.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$3.15 JMD 494

-81.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$6.28 JMD 984

-61.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.67 JMD 105

116.42%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$31.1K JMD 4.9M

-32.48%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$25.3K JMD 4.0M

4.58%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$46.75 JMD 7,327

36.15%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$21.94 JMD 3,438

-41.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$41.99 JMD 6,581

-51.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$75.6 JMD 11.9K

-48.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$19.03 JMD 2,983

-79.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$12.61 JMD 1,976

-47.82%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$359 JMD 56.2K

118.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$8,362 JMD 1.3M

75.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$23.80 JMD 3,729

131.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$31.43 JMD 4,925

-21.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

23.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$103 JMD 16.1K

-28.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$966 JMD 151.4K

-49.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$747 JMD 117.0K

-61.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$2,210 JMD 346.3K

-59.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$1,892 JMD 296.5K

-72.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-38.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Stony Hill: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $966 in Stony Hill. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $75.0 in Stony Hill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $301 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Stony Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stony Hill costs about 74% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,427 in Stony Hill. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $75.0 in Stony Hill. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Stony Hill, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Stony Hill at $1,618. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stony Hill it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,618 in Stony Hill. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stony Hill makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.