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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,078 in Stony Hill, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,447 in Stony Hill, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,817 in Stony Hill, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Stony Hill, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Stony Hill are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Stony Hill 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$7.44 JMD 1,169

-73.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$61.5 JMD 9,675

-69.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$8.94 JMD 1,405

-12.53%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$4.28 JMD 673

-54.44%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.30 JMD 205

-34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.60 JMD 94.2

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.93 JMD 303

10.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.14 JMD 494

18.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$3.21 JMD 504

-46.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.59 JMD 250

2.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.62 JMD 255

-29.63%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$3.36 JMD 529

-42.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.07 JMD 1,740

46.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.03 JMD 792

-37.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$2.85 JMD 448

282.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$6.03 JMD 948

-54.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$3.08 JMD 485

-60.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$4.16 JMD 654

-61.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$2.46 JMD 387

-35.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$2.10 JMD 329

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.85 JMD 291

-36.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.60 JMD 252

-58.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.51 JMD 238

-64.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$8.99 JMD 1,414

-47.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$11.36 JMD 1,786

64.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.89 JMD 454

-37.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.22 JMD 506

0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.13 JMD 178

24.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$3.23 JMD 509

-60.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.31 JMD 993

24.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.71 JMD 111

78.87%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$31.8K JMD 5.0M

-33.11%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$25.4K JMD 4.0M

-12.66%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$47.35 JMD 7,445

45.87%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$22.24 JMD 3,497

-36.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$40.55 JMD 6,377

-55.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$73.9 JMD 11.6K

-44.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$18.49 JMD 2,908

-62.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$12.44 JMD 1,956

-52.41%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$225 JMD 35.3K

33.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$2,519 JMD 396.0K

493.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$25.67 JMD 4,037

113.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$25.75 JMD 4,049

3.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$72.4 JMD 11.4K

17.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$75.6 JMD 11.9K

-6.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$948 JMD 149.0K

-54.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$328 JMD 51.6K

-27.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$2,202 JMD 346.2K

-63.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$1,869 JMD 293.9K

-72.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stony Hill: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $948 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $62.0 in Stony Hill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $291 – 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 24% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,617 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 $19.00 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 $866, than in Stony Hill at $1,078. 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 $866 versus $1,078 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.