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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $481 in Tartus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $740 in Tartus, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $999 in Tartus, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 80% more than Tartus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tartus are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Tartus 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.05 SYP 669

-67.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.02 SYP 2,986

-31.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.38 SYP 594

45.35%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.76 SYP 84.4

156.58%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.14 SYP 126

-25.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.72 SYP 79.2

-51.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.56 SYP 172

36.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.46 SYP 272

51.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.00 SYP 111

71.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.58 SYP 64.2

181.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.53 SYP 169

-25.49%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.36 SYP 150

41.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.13 SYP 346

417.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.69 SYP 850

-59.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.93 SYP 876

37.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.87 SYP 95.8

216.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.24 SYP 137

-2.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.03 SYP 114

57.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.95 SYP 104

67.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.63 SYP 69.4

122.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.66 SYP 73.0

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.38 SYP 41.94

73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.62 SYP 68.3

-14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.04 SYP 336

54.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.80 SYP 640

221.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.98 SYP 108

83.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.83 SYP 202

76.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.62 SYP 69.0

127.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.22 SYP 134

5.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.58 SYP 727

19.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.18 SYP 131

7.63%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

14.93%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.8K SYP 2.3M

6.85%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$102 SYP 11.3K

-32.22%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.44 SYP 933

66.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$35.28 SYP 3,898

-48.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$11.96 SYP 1,322

243.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.04 SYP 336

94.74%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$43.54 SYP 4,811

586.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,838 SYP 203.1K

713.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$20.10 SYP 2,221

172.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$25.63 SYP 2,832

4.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$45.41 SYP 5,018

87.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$40.25 SYP 4,447

75.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$98.8 SYP 10.9K

333.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$50.8 SYP 5,607

1116.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

-63.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tartus: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $98.8 in Tartus. 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 1117% 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 $27.00 in Tartus. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $152 in Tartus – so Tartus 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 Tartus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 80% more than Tartus, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $721 in Tartus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tartus, 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 $27.00 in Tartus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $481 in Tartus, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tartus costs $481 versus $866 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 Tartus. 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.