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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $626 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,005 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,384 in Tema, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Tema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tema are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Tema 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$7.24 GHS 80.8

-72.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$27.52 GHS 307

-31.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$8.09 GHS 90.3

-2.10%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$1.50 GHS 16.76

27.33%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.99 GHS 11.07

-15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.33 GHS 3.69

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$1.74 GHS 19.44

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.67 GHS 29.76

42.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$3.07 GHS 34.23

-46.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$1.62 GHS 18.04

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.49 GHS 16.64

-20.81%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$2.15 GHS 24.00

-6.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$3.71 GHS 41.37

328.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$2.72 GHS 30.41

10.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$2.50 GHS 27.87

330.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$2.81 GHS 31.36

-7.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$2.06 GHS 23.02

-40.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$2.09 GHS 23.37

-18.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$2.80 GHS 31.29

-43.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$1.90 GHS 21.24

-30.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$1.92 GHS 21.39

-39.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.64 GHS 7.09

4.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.82 GHS 9.15

-31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$8.54 GHS 95.3

113.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$0.84 GHS 9.39

117.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$2.02 GHS 22.57

-55.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$38.63 GHS 431

-49.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$1.35 GHS 15.09

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.77 GHS 8.55

75.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.25 GHS 13.91

1.60%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$30.51 GHS 341

129.92%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$12.08 GHS 135

13.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$64.9 GHS 725

-72.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$19.31 GHS 215

115.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

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

$306 ฿9,953

$82.6 GHS 922

270.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$25.03 GHS 279

117.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$24.84 GHS 277

5.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$44.69 GHS 499

89.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$61.5 GHS 687

12.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$119 GHS 1,324

257.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$66.7 GHS 744

257.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$135 GHS 1,510

280.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$10.2K GHS 113.4K

-79.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$6,068 GHS 67.7K

-74.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$463 GHS 5,172

37.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

32.5

-84.62%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tema: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $119 in Tema. 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 37% 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 $28.00 in Tema. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Tema – so Tema 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 Tema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Tema, 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 $939 in Tema. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tema, 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 $82.6 in Tema. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $626 in Tema, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tema costs $626 versus $852 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 Tema. 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.