Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ta Khmau Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ta Khmau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $503 in Ta Khmau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $792 in Ta Khmau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,081 in Ta Khmau, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 89% more than Ta Khmau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Ta Khmau are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ta Khmau 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$2.55 ៛10.3K

-17.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$24.34 ៛98.5K

-18.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$6.85 ៛27.7K

-15.47%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.65 ៛6,686

10.91%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.67 ៛2,701

16.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.46 ៛1,844

-32.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$0.98 ៛3,964

138.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.01 ៛8,158

84.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.14 ៛8,655

-5.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.64 ៛6,649

-2.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.08 ៛4,389

31.48%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.65 ៛6,665

32.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$14.04 ៛56.8K

13.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$2.62 ៛10.6K

17.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$9.11 ៛36.9K

8.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$4.03 ៛16.3K

-34.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.26 ៛5,122

-12.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$3.84 ៛15.6K

-57.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.08 ៛4,387

41.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.27 ៛5,162

-2.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.12 ៛4,544

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.14 ៛4,630

-35.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.72 ៛2,935

-30.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.54 ៛6,232

177.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.64 ៛30.9K

135.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$0.96 ៛3,898

77.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.73 ៛7,009

67.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.10 ៛4,439

11.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.98 ៛3,973

-45.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$5.13 ៛20.8K

-53.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.25 ៛5,048

15.20%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$24.7K ៛100.0M

-14.21%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$22.1K ៛89.4M

23.73%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$107 ៛435.0K

-39.54%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$6.03 ៛24.4K

121.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$14.27 ៛57.8K

45.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$5.13 ៛20.8K

30.80%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$283 ៛1.1M

178.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$4,367 ៛17.7M

246.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$26.49 ៛107.3K

112.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$13.44 ៛54.4K

85.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$68.9 ៛278.9K

34.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$44.34 ៛179.6K

69.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.07

-30.98%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ta Khmau: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Ta Khmau. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $223 in Ta Khmau – so Ta Khmau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ta Khmau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 89% more than Ta Khmau, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $754 in Ta Khmau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Ta Khmau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 Ta Khmau, where all-in costs run around $503, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Ta Khmau 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. Ta Khmau costs $503 versus $950 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 Ta Khmau. 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.