Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $772 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,397 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,023 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Ubon Ratchathani, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Ubon Ratchathani 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$3.15 ฿106

-35.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$24.35 ฿821

-23.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$6.29 ฿212

24.64%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$1.88 ฿63.2

2.66%

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

$0.83 ฿28.01

$1.07 ฿35.91

-22.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.81

$0.49 ฿16.44

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$2.41 ฿81.1

-7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$2.94 ฿99.2

28.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.76 ฿59.4

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$1.39 ฿46.75

11.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.82

$1.32 ฿44.57

-10.61%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$2.23 ฿75.3

-9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$18.55 ฿625

-12.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$3.04 ฿103

-0.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$11.01 ฿371

-1.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$3.15 ฿106

-14.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.16

$1.25 ฿42.20

-2.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$1.95 ฿65.8

-16.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$1.52 ฿51.3

0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.13

$1.53 ฿51.5

-12.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.88

$1.24 ฿41.96

-2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.65

$0.99 ฿33.32

-29.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.71

$0.52 ฿17.60

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$4.15 ฿140

13.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$13.55 ฿457

30.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$1.73 ฿58.5

6.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$2.79 ฿94.2

15.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.03

$0.95 ฿31.98

-6.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.43

$1.07 ฿36.00

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.54

$1.20 ฿40.36

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$6.07 ฿205

28.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.61

$1.26 ฿42.42

2.38%

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

$21.8K ฿733.8K

$27.5K ฿927.9K

-20.92%

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

$21.7K ฿731.2K

$27.6K ฿931.6K

-21.51%

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

$70.0 ฿2,359

$77.4 ฿2,609

-9.56%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$13.05 ฿440

8.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$15.26 ฿514

14.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,404

$49.08 ฿1,654

-15.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$12.41 ฿418

-44.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$7.14 ฿241

-19.05%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$293 ฿9,873

2.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.5K

$9,857 ฿332.3K

47.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,866

$33.51 ฿1,130

65.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿887

$35.19 ฿1,186

-25.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,860

$99.6 ฿3,358

-14.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,376

$71.2 ฿2,400

-1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$244 ฿8,235

74.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,924

$162 ฿5,448

45.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$829 ฿27.9K

-3.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$661 ฿22.3K

-21.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$2,133 ฿71.9K

-9.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$1,277 ฿43.1K

13.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$360 ฿12.1K

62.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

-8.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $244 in Ubon Ratchathani. 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 63% 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 $24.00 in Ubon Ratchathani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $247 – 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 Ubon Ratchathani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Ubon Ratchathani, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,157 in Ubon Ratchathani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubon Ratchathani, 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 $24.00 in Ubon Ratchathani. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $847 in Chiang Mai and $772 in Ubon Ratchathani, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubon Ratchathani costs $772 versus $847 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 Ubon Ratchathani. 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.