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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $984 in Tunapuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,736 in Tunapuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,488 in Tunapuna, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Tunapuna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tunapuna are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Tunapuna 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$10.49 TTD 70.6

-80.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$74.4 TTD 500

-73.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.05 TTD 54.2

-29.57%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.76 TTD 25.29

-51.86%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.00 TTD 6.70

-23.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.77 TTD 5.16

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.80 TTD 12.09

22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.90 TTD 19.50

30.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.08 TTD 13.97

-1.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.26 TTD 15.21

-33.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.89 TTD 19.42

-51.56%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.82 TTD 25.67

-40.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$6.77 TTD 45.53

139.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$10.19 TTD 68.6

-71.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.95 TTD 60.2

5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$5.57 TTD 37.46

-51.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.46 TTD 16.56

-55.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$3.62 TTD 24.33

-55.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.19 TTD 28.17

-65.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.71 TTD 4.80

80.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.71 TTD 4.75

49.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.45 TTD 9.75

-50.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.16 TTD 7.83

-54.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$5.23 TTD 35.21

-19.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$19.07 TTD 128

-4.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.56 TTD 10.48

4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$3.05 TTD 20.53

-4.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.90 TTD 6.07

30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.87 TTD 5.83

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$14.53 TTD 97.8

-83.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.12 TTD 7.57

29.46%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$37.3K TTD 251.1K

-43.69%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$41.0K TTD 275.6K

-35.49%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$44.82 TTD 302

42.01%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$42.35 TTD 285

-69.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$44.63 TTD 300

-54.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$8.67 TTD 58.3

-24.11%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$402 TTD 2,707

94.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$10.8K TTD 72.5K

36.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$55.1 TTD 371

0.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$36.82 TTD 248

-32.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$88.9 TTD 598

5.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$59.4 TTD 400

24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$280 TTD 1,886

74.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$240 TTD 1,615

20.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$675 TTD 4,542

32.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$590 TTD 3,969

-11.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.75

-3.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Tunapuna: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $280 in Tunapuna. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $74.0 in Tunapuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $322 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Tunapuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tunapuna costs about 6% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,475 in Tunapuna. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $74.0 in Tunapuna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Tunapuna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Tunapuna at $984. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tunapuna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $984 in Tunapuna. 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, Tunapuna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.