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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,002 in Tamási, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,545 in Tamási, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,088 in Tamási, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Tamási, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tamási are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Tamási 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$7.41 Ft 2,279

-73.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$45.91 Ft 14.1K

-59.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$5.84 Ft 1,796

34.76%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.05 Ft 629

-4.88%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.43 Ft 439

-40.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$1.42 Ft 436

-77.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.27 Ft 699

-5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.20 Ft 677

67.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.03 Ft 316

61.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$1.61 Ft 496

-3.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.17 Ft 359

1.71%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.13 Ft 655

-6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$7.97 Ft 2,451

103.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$5.48 Ft 1,684

-42.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$11.56 Ft 3,554

-6.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$1.42 Ft 436

86.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.43 Ft 438

-14.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$1.68 Ft 518

-1.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$2.87 Ft 884

-45.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$0.88 Ft 269

51.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.15 Ft 352

5.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$1.39 Ft 428

-51.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.48 Ft 148

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$6.44 Ft 1,981

-27.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$4.42 Ft 1,358

284.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.02 Ft 313

78.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$1.48 Ft 456

114.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$1.14 Ft 350

-20.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$25.25 Ft 7,765

-25.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$2.87 Ft 882

-50.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$1.32 Ft 407

1.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$17.07 Ft 5,249

-52.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.75 Ft 537

-26.86%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$25.9K Ft 8.0M

-15.75%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$26.1K Ft 8.0M

-14.17%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$102 Ft 31.4K

-31.06%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$24.75 Ft 7,611

-43.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$13.33 Ft 4,099

32.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$46.11 Ft 14.2K

-10.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$16.61 Ft 5,106

-59.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$7.24 Ft 2,226

-17.68%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$221 Ft 68.0K

37.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$6,216 Ft 1.9M

140.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$84.2 Ft 25.9K

-35.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$30.08 Ft 9,249

-12.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$69.6 Ft 21.4K

23.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$56.2 Ft 17.3K

24.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$438 Ft 134.6K

-2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$351 Ft 108.1K

-31.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$624 Ft 191.7K

30.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$535 Ft 164.4K

-4.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$3,082 Ft 947.7K

-34.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$2,116 Ft 650.5K

-29.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$1,301 Ft 400.1K

-52.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

-14.53%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Tamási: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $438 in Tamási. 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 109% higher in Tamási, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $46.00 in Tamási. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Tamási – so Tamási 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 Tamási: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tamási costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,503 in Tamási. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $221 in Tamási. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Tamási – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $848 in Chiang Mai and $1,002 in Tamási, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,002 in Tamási. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tamási makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.