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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,066 in Usak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,720 in Usak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,374 in Usak, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Usak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Usak are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Usak 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.4

$10.13 ₺492

-79.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$47.76 ₺2,322

-58.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$9.34 ₺454

-38.01%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.5

$4.03 ₺196

-54.59%

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

$0.78 ฿25.63

$2.02 ₺98.1

-61.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.38

$0.38 ₺18.33

-18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.3

$3.65 ₺177

-35.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$5.20 ₺253

-28.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.04 ₺50.7

95.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.8

$1.05 ₺51.0

52.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.80

$1.98 ₺96.3

-28.28%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.0

$2.49 ₺121

-12.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$10.16 ₺494

56.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$5.05 ₺245

-39.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$20.98 ₺1,020

-52.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.9

$1.74 ₺84.5

51.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.23

$1.89 ₺91.7

-41.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.9

$1.00 ₺48.58

63.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.46 ₺71.0

4.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.16

$0.67 ₺32.78

85.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.40

$0.63 ₺30.83

79.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.41

$1.01 ₺48.91

-26.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.50

$0.71 ₺34.28

-29.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$2.42 ₺118

76.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$10.44 ₺508

72.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$2.20 ₺107

-22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.89 ₺141

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

$0.73 ₺35.65

28.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

$30.71 ₺1,493

80.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.80

$0.98 ₺47.42

25.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.67

$0.70 ₺34.05

-24.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.4

$8.40 ₺408

-71.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.60

$1.29 ₺62.8

11.63%

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

$21.2K ฿700.9K

$43.8K ₺2.1M

-51.63%

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

$27.3K ฿903.0K

$40.1K ₺1.9M

-31.87%

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

$64.9 ฿2,147

$79.1 ₺3,845

-17.91%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$11.74 ₺571

13.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿689

$16.32 ₺793

27.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

$52.8 ₺2,568

-23.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$5.56 ₺270

20.68%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$696 ₺33.8K

13.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.1K

$13.6K ₺662.7K

10.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,859

$52.9 ₺2,573

6.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

$32.20 ₺1,565

-22.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,066

$97.0 ₺4,714

-4.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,484

$83.8 ₺4,073

-10.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$411 ₺20.0K

17.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

$311 ₺15.1K

-7.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$770 ₺37.4K

18.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$568 ₺27.6K

-6.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

$1,188 ₺57.7K

66.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

$906 ₺44.1K

60.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$886 ₺43.1K

-31.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-86.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Usak: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $411 in Usak. 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 46% higher in Usak, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $48.00 in Usak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $242 – 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 Usak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Usak costs about 12% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,600 in Usak. 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.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $696 in Usak. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Usak – 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Usak at $1,066. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Usak it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,066 in Usak. 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, Usak makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.