Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Udon Thani

For one person, living is cheaper in Udon Thani: $832 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chiang Mai outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in Udon Thani
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Udon Thani Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Udon Thani

🇹🇭 Thailand

$832

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Udon Thani

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Udon Thani actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $832 in Udon Thani, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Udon Thani $832

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,352 in Udon Thani, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Udon Thani $1,352

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,873 in Udon Thani, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Udon Thani $1,873

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Udon Thani, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Udon Thani are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Udon Thani 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.31 ฿77.3

-2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$27.97 ฿935

-31.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$11.74 ฿392

-52.39%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$1.52 ฿50.7

13.16%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.73 ฿24.33

-12.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.28 ฿9.30

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.73 ฿57.9

36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$2.36 ฿78.9

65.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$2.58 ฿86.3

-20.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$1.44 ฿48.13

-2.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.44 ฿48.27

-11.11%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$1.52 ฿50.9

48.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$17.61 ฿589

-3.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$2.56 ฿85.5

7.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$13.89 ฿464

-32.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$2.39 ฿79.9

0.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$0.98 ฿32.79

3.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$2.04 ฿68.1

-21.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$2.05 ฿68.4

-25.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.51 ฿50.6

-15.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.06 ฿35.27

4.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$1.23 ฿40.97

-41.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.60 ฿20.18

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$4.28 ฿143

1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$37.19 ฿1,243

-52.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.77 ฿59.1

-7.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.01 ฿67.3

41.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.60 ฿20.07

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$10.24 ฿342

426.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.02 ฿34.04

14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.42 ฿47.59

-59.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$10.09 ฿337

-76.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.19 ฿39.62

21.85%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$41.8K ฿1.4M

-51.01%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-19.57%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$61.6 ฿2,058

1.23%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$14.55 ฿486

-15.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$22.12 ฿739

-9.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$91.1 ฿3,045

-58.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$8.21 ฿275

-54.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$4.49 ฿150

49.44%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$200 ฿6,699

297.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$10.2K ฿339.6K

45.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$43.46 ฿1,452

22.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$53.6 ฿1,791

-53.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$71.0 ฿2,374

28.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$77.2 ฿2,580

-4.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$175 ฿5,861

164.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$111 ฿3,718

173.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$384 ฿12.8K

138.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$306 ฿10.2K

80.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$1,152 ฿38.5K

65.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$411 ฿13.7K

250.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$766 ฿25.6K

-22.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.96

-30.03%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Udon Thani: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Udon Thani

$111 13.4% 63.5% $193

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Udon Thani

$302 36.3% 26.8% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Udon Thani

$110 13.3% 0.8% $0.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Udon Thani

$98 11.8% 3.9% $3.7

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Udon Thani

$89 10.7% 13% $10

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Udon Thani

$21 2.5% 66.1% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Udon Thani

$100 12% 94.9% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $175 in Udon Thani. 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 29% higher in Udon Thani, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Udon Thani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $302 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Udon Thani

🕒 Local time

01:35 1:35 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

130,531

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Chiang Mai Udon Thani 430 km

From you

Chiang Mai
Udon Thani

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Udon Thani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Udon Thani, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,248 in Udon Thani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Udon Thani, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $200 in Udon Thani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Udon Thani, where all-in costs run around $832, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Udon Thani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Udon Thani costs $832 versus $938 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 Udon Thani. 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.