Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sumba

For one person, living is cheaper in Sumba: $207 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Sumba

🇫🇴 Faroe Islands

$207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Sumba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Sumba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Sumba, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Sumba $207

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $280 in Sumba, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Sumba $280

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $353 in Sumba, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Sumba $353

Chiang Mai costs about 353% more than Sumba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Sumba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Sumba 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$2.22 FOK 14.75

-7.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$10.60 FOK 70.5

-59.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$12.16 FOK 80.9

45.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.31 FOK 15.35

-29.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$1.81 FOK 12.01

57.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$4.42 FOK 29.42

-80.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.97 FOK 13.08

-26.40%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.27 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$60.1 FOK 400

-66.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$37.77 FOK 251

0.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$14.98 FOK 99.6

-55.21%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Sumba: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Sumba

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Sumba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Sumba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Sumba

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Sumba

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Sumba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Sumba

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇫🇴 Sumba

🕒 Local time

15:49 3:49 PM

09:49 9:49 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

300

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Faroese Króna FOK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 FOK = 0.15 USD

1 FOK = 0.134 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

FOK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Faroese Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 FOK (1 FOK = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.48 FOK (1 FOK = 0.134 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Sumba 8,980 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Sumba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sumba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 353% more than Sumba, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $311 in Sumba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $938 in Chiang Mai and $207 in Sumba. That's a gap of about 353%.

Groceries cost about 286% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sumba, where all-in costs run around $207, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Sumba 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. Sumba costs $207 versus $938 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 Sumba. 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.