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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,000 in Tamási, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,543 in Tamási, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,087 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 ฿64.0

$7.79 Ft 2,431

-74.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$45.15 Ft 14.1K

-58.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$5.73 Ft 1,787

38.22%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.06 Ft 641

-7.28%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.50 Ft 468

-44.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.43 Ft 448

-75.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.33 Ft 728

-5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.13 Ft 664

78.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.09 Ft 340

50.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.54 Ft 479

5.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.16 Ft 363

1.72%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.02 Ft 630

-0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.02 Ft 2,503

98.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.47 Ft 1,707

-44.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.45 Ft 3,571

-5.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.41 Ft 439

85.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.42 Ft 442

-14.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.74 Ft 542

-2.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.84 Ft 887

-44.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.97 Ft 301

36.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.19 Ft 372

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.37 Ft 427

-51.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.47 Ft 148

19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.45 Ft 2,012

-29.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$4.16 Ft 1,299

337.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.01 Ft 315

81.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.47 Ft 459

119.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.17 Ft 364

-23.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$25.00 Ft 7,799

-22.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.90 Ft 904

-53.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.31 Ft 410

3.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$17.59 Ft 5,487

-53.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.76 Ft 548

-27.84%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$25.8K Ft 8.1M

-18.02%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$25.1K Ft 7.8M

-10.47%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$104 Ft 32.5K

-32.72%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$25.14 Ft 7,845

-45.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$13.18 Ft 4,114

33.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$46.19 Ft 14.4K

-10.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$17.10 Ft 5,335

-61.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.04 Ft 2,195

-17.90%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$225 Ft 70.1K

36.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,270 Ft 2.0M

136.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$84.1 Ft 26.3K

-35.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$29.30 Ft 9,142

-10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$69.8 Ft 21.8K

21.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$56.6 Ft 17.6K

22.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$440 Ft 137.2K

-3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$347 Ft 108.2K

-31.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$645 Ft 201.2K

27.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$528 Ft 164.7K

-2.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$3,226 Ft 1.0M

-36.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,774 Ft 865.6K

-45.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,253 Ft 390.9K

-49.31%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tamási: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $440 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 97% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Tamási. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $194 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 17% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,500 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $225 in Tamási. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,000 in Tamási, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,000 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.