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 $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $790 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,425 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,060 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 35% lower, Ubon Ratchathani 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$3.01 ฿96.6

-33.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$24.29 ฿779

-24.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$6.39 ฿205

19.72%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$1.86 ฿59.5

3.23%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$1.06 ฿34.00

-20.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.49 ฿15.82

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$2.53 ฿81.1

-13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$2.84 ฿91.2

33.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$1.74 ฿55.9

-5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$1.33 ฿42.61

21.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.31 ฿42.15

-12.21%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$2.16 ฿69.2

-10.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$18.38 ฿589

-13.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$3.09 ฿99.0

0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$10.60 ฿340

4.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$3.10 ฿99.4

-12.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$1.26 ฿40.55

-6.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$1.89 ฿60.6

-9.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$1.59 ฿50.9

1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$1.48 ฿47.30

-6.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$1.21 ฿38.65

-4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$1.03 ฿32.96

-31.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.48 ฿15.34

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$4.19 ฿134

9.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$13.98 ฿448

34.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.72 ฿55.1

5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$2.67 ฿85.6

20.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.95 ฿30.51

-7.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$1.11 ฿35.49

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$1.15 ฿36.74

13.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$6.17 ฿198

32.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.28 ฿41.11

-3.91%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$27.7K ฿888.5K

-23.59%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$27.0K ฿865.8K

-17.38%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$75.9 ฿2,432

-7.90%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$13.05 ฿418

7.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$15.08 ฿483

17.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$49.50 ฿1,587

-16.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$12.28 ฿394

-45.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$6.91 ฿222

-16.93%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$294 ฿9,438

1.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$9,474 ฿303.7K

58.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$33.84 ฿1,085

62.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$34.40 ฿1,103

-23.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$97.4 ฿3,122

-13.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$70.6 ฿2,264

-1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$242 ฿7,750

76.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$166 ฿5,307

45.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$809 ฿25.9K

0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$652 ฿20.9K

-23.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$2,288 ฿73.4K

-11.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$1,520 ฿48.7K

0.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$400 ฿12.8K

59.91%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $242 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 60% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $24 in Ubon Ratchathani. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $244 in Ubon Ratchathani – so Ubon Ratchathani 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 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,185 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 $18.00 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.

Groceries cost about 1% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $872 in Chiang Mai and $790 in Ubon Ratchathani, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubon Ratchathani costs $790 versus $872 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.