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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,084 in Stony Hill, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,448 in Stony Hill, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,812 in Stony Hill, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Stony Hill, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Stony Hill are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Stony Hill 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$7.67 JMD 1,209

-74.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$62.3 JMD 9,821

-70.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.52 JMD 1,342

-12.21%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.33 JMD 682

-53.35%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.30 JMD 206

-34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.60 JMD 94.7

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.90 JMD 300

12.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.12 JMD 492

15.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$3.10 JMD 489

-46.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.62 JMD 255

-3.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.58 JMD 248

-24.68%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.41 JMD 537

-43.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$11.10 JMD 1,749

45.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.10 JMD 804

-41.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$2.86 JMD 451

282.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$5.92 JMD 933

-54.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$3.00 JMD 472

-61.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$3.99 JMD 629

-57.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.55 JMD 401

-37.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.12 JMD 334

-34.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.91 JMD 301

-37.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.61 JMD 254

-58.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.43 JMD 226

-60.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$8.89 JMD 1,401

-47.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$11.15 JMD 1,758

58.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.78 JMD 438

-33.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.11 JMD 491

6.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.12 JMD 177

21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$3.13 JMD 493

-57.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.41 JMD 1,010

28.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.71 JMD 112

71.83%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$31.9K JMD 5.0M

-33.14%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$25.2K JMD 4.0M

-10.54%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$46.71 JMD 7,362

51.30%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$21.49 JMD 3,386

-34.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$41.34 JMD 6,514

-57.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$73.8 JMD 11.6K

-42.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$18.91 JMD 2,980

-63.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$12.68 JMD 1,999

-53.31%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$222 JMD 35.0K

39.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$2,455 JMD 386.9K

506.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$25.95 JMD 4,090

114.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$25.45 JMD 4,011

2.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

16.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

-7.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$938 JMD 147.9K

-53.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$335 JMD 52.8K

-28.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$2,226 JMD 350.8K

-63.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,894 JMD 298.4K

-72.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-44.44%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Stony Hill: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $938 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $62.0 in Stony Hill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $287 – 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 26% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,625 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $62.0 in Stony Hill. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $861, than in Stony Hill at $1,084. 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 $861 versus $1,084 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.