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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $673 in Sucre, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,012 in Sucre, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,352 in Sucre, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Sucre, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sucre are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Sucre 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.1

$1.51 BOB 17.26

37.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿651

$16.00 BOB 183

22.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿188

$3.27 BOB 37.42

73.39%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.9

$1.74 BOB 19.88

4.02%

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

$0.77 ฿25.51

$0.80 BOB 9.19

-3.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.46

$0.54 BOB 6.16

-35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$2.05 BOB 23.48

7.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.02 BOB 23.08

87.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.0

$0.82 BOB 9.40

150.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.3

$1.31 BOB 15.03

15.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.44

$0.92 BOB 10.56

52.17%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.0

$1.29 BOB 14.78

75.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$3.83 BOB 43.87

322.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.2

$2.44 BOB 27.91

18.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$4.42 BOB 50.6

113.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿88.9

$1.85 BOB 21.17

44.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.18

$0.86 BOB 9.90

26.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.7

$0.76 BOB 8.70

113.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.48

$2.98 BOB 34.06

-51.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.42

$0.45 BOB 5.19

184.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.12

$0.78 BOB 8.88

35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.81

$0.29 BOB 3.29

148.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.46

$0.87 BOB 9.98

-39.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿140

$1.07 BOB 12.21

295.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿607

$10.02 BOB 115

82.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.1

$1.35 BOB 15.46

20.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.16

$0.17 BOB 1.93

417.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,785

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.93

$0.60 BOB 6.83

95.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.20

$0.42 BOB 4.84

38.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.15

$0.75 BOB 8.56

93.33%

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

$21.0K ฿697.6K

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

$26.4K ฿877.3K

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

$63.7 ฿2,113

$14.59 BOB 167

336.26%

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

$12.89 ฿428

$14.79 BOB 169

-12.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿681

$20.99 BOB 240

-2.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,295

$27.49 BOB 315

41.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿218

$5.63 BOB 64.4

16.87%

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

$784 ฿26.0K

$101 BOB 1,160

673.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,830

$37.83 BOB 433

45.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿821

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,125

$75.9 BOB 868

24.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,455

$67.4 BOB 772

9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$464 BOB 5,309

5.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,568

$292 BOB 3,347

-1.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$764 BOB 8,746

16.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$510 BOB 5,842

2.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$332 BOB 3,798

81.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sucre: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $464 in Sucre. 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 81% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Sucre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $141 – making Sucre 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 Sucre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Sucre, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,009 in Sucre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sucre, 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 $16.00 in Sucre. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 71% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sucre, where all-in costs run around $673, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Sucre 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. Sucre costs $673 versus $932 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 Sucre. 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.