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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $731 in Sumy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,073 in Sumy, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,415 in Sumy, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Sumy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sumy are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sumy 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$7.26 ₴320

-73.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$14.41 ₴635

30.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$5.92 ₴261

33.78%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.04 ₴45.84

83.65%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.67 ₴29.58

25.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.45 ₴19.91

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$0.82 ₴35.97

169.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.12 ₴49.37

239.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.09 ₴48.13

50.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.81 ₴35.66

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.77 ₴78.1

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.05 ₴90.5

-1.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.17 ₴448

56.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.31 ₴190

-30.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.77 ₴342

38.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.97 ₴42.97

169.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.47 ₴64.6

-17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.76 ₴77.4

-3.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.29 ₴101

-31.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.47 ₴20.68

180.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.54 ₴23.89

116.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.40 ₴61.9

-52.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.58 ₴25.53

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.88 ₴127

57.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.70 ₴251

219.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.88 ₴38.93

107.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.54 ₴68.0

109.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.37 ₴16.45

140.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.07 ₴91.4

-34.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.37 ₴16.40

264.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$4.29 ₴189

92.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.37 ₴60.3

-7.30%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$31.7K ₴1.4M

-33.20%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$24.7K ₴1.1M

-8.89%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$112 ₴4,930

-37.29%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$5.69 ₴251

142.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$6.86 ₴302

156.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$28.75 ₴1,267

44.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$6.06 ₴267

8.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$2.98 ₴131

93.96%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$386 ₴17.0K

-20.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,719 ₴340.2K

92.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$48.67 ₴2,145

11.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$35.99 ₴1,586

-27.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$104 ₴4,568

-18.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$112 ₴4,922

-37.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$231 ₴10.2K

83.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$147 ₴6,470

62.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$344 ₴15.2K

139.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$219 ₴9,668

134.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$889 ₴39.2K

130.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$545 ₴24.0K

179.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$400 ₴17.6K

58.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sumy: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $231 in Sumy. 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 59% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Sumy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $176 – making Sumy 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 Sumy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Sumy, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,096 in Sumy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sumy, 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 $14.00 in Sumy. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $731 in Sumy, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sumy costs $731 versus $852 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 Sumy. 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.