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 $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,174 in Tamási, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,815 in Tamási, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,457 in Tamási, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 22% cheaper than Tamási, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tamási are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Tamási 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$10.01 Ft 3,120

-78.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$62.5 Ft 19.5K

-68.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$9.51 Ft 2,966

-38.49%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.43 Ft 758

-27.57%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$1.53 Ft 477

-51.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$1.38 Ft 432

-76.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.21 Ft 690

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.34 Ft 731

65.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.07 Ft 332

77.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$1.43 Ft 445

16.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.30 Ft 406

3.85%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.25 Ft 701

-4.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$10.10 Ft 3,150

57.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$6.28 Ft 1,958

-54.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$12.74 Ft 3,971

-17.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$1.49 Ft 466

59.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.63 Ft 507

-34.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.89 Ft 591

-19.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$3.05 Ft 951

-50.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.03 Ft 322

24.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.12 Ft 348

-1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$1.63 Ft 509

-57.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.52 Ft 163

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$6.84 Ft 2,132

-37.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$4.15 Ft 1,295

304.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.16 Ft 360

43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$1.60 Ft 499

75.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$1.29 Ft 403

-30.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

$28.38 Ft 8,849

93.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$3.19 Ft 995

-62.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$1.77 Ft 553

-69.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$19.45 Ft 6,066

-87.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.91 Ft 596

-25.13%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$28.1K Ft 8.8M

-25.12%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$38.5K Ft 12.0M

-29.54%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$126 Ft 39.3K

-48.64%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$22.30 Ft 6,954

-40.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$16.86 Ft 5,257

15.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$48.35 Ft 15.1K

-18.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

$20.73 Ft 6,462

-81.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$7.74 Ft 2,414

-14.47%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$263 Ft 81.9K

206.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$6,917 Ft 2.2M

118.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$91.2 Ft 28.4K

-39.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$34.00 Ft 10.6K

-25.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$77.3 Ft 24.1K

18.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$63.0 Ft 19.7K

18.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$533 Ft 166.1K

-12.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$408 Ft 127.2K

-30.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$754 Ft 235.0K

18.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$664 Ft 207.1K

-21.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$3,394 Ft 1.1M

-41.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$2,169 Ft 676.4K

-32.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$1,232 Ft 384.0K

-51.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Tamási: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $533 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 108% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $62.0 in Tamási. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $215 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 28% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,761 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 $805 per month in Chiang Mai and $263 in Tamási. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Tamási – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Tamási at $1,174. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tamási it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $1,174 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.