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 $629 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,006 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,383 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

$2.04 ฿68.2

$7.58 GHS 88.5

-73.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$28.14 GHS 329

-33.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.83 GHS 91.5

0.38%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.49 GHS 17.45

36.24%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.01 GHS 11.76

-20.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.33 GHS 3.88

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.75 GHS 20.41

22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.66 GHS 31.06

37.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.94 GHS 34.39

-41.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.68 GHS 19.58

-6.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.57 GHS 18.29

-23.57%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.18 GHS 25.42

-9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$3.79 GHS 44.22

328.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.72 GHS 31.76

12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$2.48 GHS 28.92

335.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.73 GHS 31.88

1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.99 GHS 23.27

-41.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.02 GHS 23.61

-15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.80 GHS 32.66

-43.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.90 GHS 22.20

-26.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.90 GHS 22.19

-38.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.63 GHS 7.40

4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.83 GHS 9.69

-37.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.05 GHS 82.3

152.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.83 GHS 9.66

115.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$2.08 GHS 24.25

-56.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$38.71 GHS 452

-51.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.36 GHS 15.87

3.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.72 GHS 8.45

86.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.23 GHS 14.35

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$30.27 GHS 354

135.65%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$12.18 GHS 142

15.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$63.4 GHS 740

-71.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$19.37 GHS 226

110.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$83.9 GHS 980

267.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$24.15 GHS 282

130.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$25.06 GHS 293

3.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$45.15 GHS 527

87.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$62.5 GHS 730

13.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$118 GHS 1,384

257.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$67.0 GHS 783

261.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$136 GHS 1,589

272.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$9,781 GHS 114.2K

-80.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$5,837 GHS 68.2K

-74.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$401 GHS 4,681

48.48%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tema: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $118 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 48% 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $181 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $943 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $83.9 in Tema. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $629 in Tema, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tema costs $629 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.