๐A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,602 in ล umperk, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,283 in ล umperk, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,964 in ล umperk, rent included.
๐Chiang Mai is about 46% cheaper than ล umperk, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while ล umperk is 20% above โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Chiang Mai
ล umperk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.94เธฟ63.6
$8.85Kฤย 184
-78.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.64เธฟ609
$44.69Kฤย 932
-58.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.82เธฟ256
$8.69Kฤย 181
-10.01%
Cappuccino
$1.95เธฟ63.9
$2.95Kฤย 61.5
-33.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85เธฟ27.80
$1.84Kฤย 38.40
-53.80%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35เธฟ11.60
$1.38Kฤย 28.74
-74.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.13เธฟ69.7
$2.22Kฤย 46.20
-4.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73เธฟ122
$2.58Kฤย 53.8
44.57%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
ล umperk
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71เธฟ56.0
$1.09Kฤย 22.79
56.88%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63เธฟ53.3
$1.36Kฤย 28.42
19.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14เธฟ37.18
$2.18Kฤย 45.50
-47.71%
Eggs
$1.93เธฟ63.2
$2.94Kฤย 61.2
-34.35%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.21เธฟ530
$12.65Kฤย 264
28.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.12เธฟ102
$9.28Kฤย 194
-66.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.90เธฟ356
$12.67Kฤย 264
-13.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.75เธฟ90.1
$1.73Kฤย 36.09
58.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.21เธฟ39.56
$1.72Kฤย 35.90
-29.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62เธฟ53.0
$2.16Kฤย 45.03
-25.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59เธฟ51.9
$3.36Kฤย 70.0
-52.68%
Potato(1kg)
$1.40เธฟ45.75
$1.26Kฤย 26.33
11.11%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17เธฟ38.20
$1.19Kฤย 24.71
-1.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66เธฟ21.62
$1.58Kฤย 33.00
-58.23%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53เธฟ17.24
$0.73Kฤย 15.18
-27.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.69เธฟ153
$6.87Kฤย 143
-31.73%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.66เธฟ610
$6.88Kฤย 143
171.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80เธฟ58.8
$0.87Kฤย 18.10
106.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23เธฟ106
$1.80Kฤย 37.56
79.44%
๐ Getting Around
Chiang Mai
ล umperk
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90เธฟ29.28
$1.14Kฤย 23.67
-21.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.21เธฟ628
$25.61Kฤย 534
-24.99%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41เธฟ45.96
$1.97Kฤย 41.15
-28.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.29เธฟ42.16
$1.27Kฤย 26.55
1.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84เธฟ256
$14.06Kฤย 293
-44.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27เธฟ41.62
$1.66Kฤย 34.63
-23.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3Kเธฟ695.5K
$28.5KKฤย 594.9K
-25.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2Kเธฟ726.1K
$30.1KKฤย 627.2K
-26.17%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
ล umperk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$69.1เธฟ2,258
$297Kฤย 6,188
-76.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.08เธฟ460
$26.98Kฤย 562
-47.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.00เธฟ588
$20.06Kฤย 418
-10.27%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
ล umperk
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.06เธฟ1,342
$54.6Kฤย 1,138
-24.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96เธฟ227
$17.11Kฤย 357
-59.32%
Cinema Ticket
$5.92เธฟ193
$9.67Kฤย 202
-38.78%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
ล umperk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$299เธฟ9,775
$411Kฤย 8,576
-27.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.0Kเธฟ488.8K
$9,932Kฤย 207.1K
50.55%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
ล umperk
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7เธฟ1,788
$82.7Kฤย 1,724
-33.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.77เธฟ875
$38.05Kฤย 793
-29.65%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.0เธฟ2,778
$89.1Kฤย 1,858
-4.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.6เธฟ2,308
$110Kฤย 2,289
-35.71%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
ล umperk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$428เธฟ14.0K
$673Kฤย 14.0K
-36.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$237เธฟ7,759
$552Kฤย 11.5K
-57.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$801เธฟ26.2K
$1,189Kฤย 24.8K
-32.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515เธฟ16.9K
$872Kฤย 18.2K
-40.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,975เธฟ64.5K
$4,619Kฤย 96.3K
-57.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,475เธฟ48.2K
$3,185Kฤย 66.4K
-53.69%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
ล umperk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$617เธฟ20.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
5.5
-9.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026
Last update for ล umperk: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $673 in ล umperk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in ล umperk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $255 โ 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 ล umperk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or ล umperk?
ล umperk costs about 85% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs ล umperk?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,403 in ล umperk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or ล umperk?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and ล umperk?
Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $411 in ล umperk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or ล umperk?
Groceries cost about 3% more in ล umperk, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or ล umperk?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in ล umperk at $1,602. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in ล umperk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or ล umperk?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,602 in ล umperk. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to ล umperk?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or ล umperk?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, ล umperk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared