😐A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $313 in Tongi, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $520 in Tongi, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $727 in Tongi, rent included.
😐Chiang Mai costs about 172% more than Tongi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Tongi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai36% lower, Tongi77% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Tongi
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$1.67৳205
17.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$9.72৳1,194
93.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$4.98৳611
59.04%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.03৳495
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.81৳590
-
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$1.49৳182
28.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$0.35৳42.48
140.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$0.18৳21.60
94.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Tongi
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$0.70৳85.9
134.29%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$0.60৳73.2
170.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$0.62৳75.7
90.32%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$1.17৳143
71.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$6.86৳842
131.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$2.54৳312
18.50%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$5.47৳672
96.89%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$2.23৳274
17.04%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$1.00৳123
22.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$2.10৳258
-19.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$0.61৳74.9
159.02%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$0.28৳34.54
371.43%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$0.38৳46.24
207.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$0.33৳40.00
103.03%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$0.26৳31.57
115.38%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$8.53৳1,047
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.28৳280
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.90৳602
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$2.82৳346
60.64%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Tongi
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
$0.22৳27.01
304.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
$10.17৳1,248
90.56%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$0.84৳104
60.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$0.40৳48.90
237.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$1.99৳245
314.57%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$1.01৳124
25.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$28.3K৳3.5M
-25.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$27.6K৳3.4M
-18.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Tongi
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$30.02৳3,685
133.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$4.61৳566
198.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$9.23৳1,133
90.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Tongi
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
$13.70৳1,682
203.43%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
$11.88৳1,458
-44.44%
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$4.17৳512
38.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Tongi
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$27.20৳3,339
1025.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$928৳113.9K
1498.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Tongi
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$15.95৳1,958
240.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$17.82৳2,188
46.69%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$33.28৳4,085
154.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$36.46৳4,476
90.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Tongi
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
$68.5৳8,414
518.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
$41.28৳5,067
476.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
$166৳20.4K
396.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$97.6৳12.0K
427.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
$563৳69.1K
264.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
$342৳42.0K
344.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Tongi
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
10.29
-51.41%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Tongi: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $68.5 in Tongi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $10.00 in Tongi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $104 – making Tongi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Chiang Mai vs Tongi: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Tongi?
Chiang Mai costs about 172% more than Tongi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Tongi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $470 in Tongi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Tongi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tongi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Tongi?
Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $27.20 in Tongi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Tongi?
Groceries cost about 133% 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.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Chiang Mai or Tongi?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $313 in Tongi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Tongi?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tongi costs $313 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Tongi?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Tongi?
If budget matters most, go with Tongi. 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.
Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado