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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,103 in Vac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,758 in Vac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,412 in Vac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Vac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Vac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Vac 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$8.78 Ft 2,655

-77.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$46.01 Ft 13.9K

-59.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.70 Ft 2,633

-10.92%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.11 Ft 639

-9.00%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.39 Ft 421

-43.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.04 Ft 314

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.85 Ft 560

19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.30 Ft 694

59.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.06 Ft 319

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.52 Ft 459

7.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.83 Ft 553

-34.97%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.58 Ft 782

-22.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.50 Ft 2,875

68.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.89 Ft 1,781

-48.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.75 Ft 3,554

-7.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.89 Ft 573

46.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.91 Ft 577

-38.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.06 Ft 623

-20.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$3.11 Ft 940

-51.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.08 Ft 327

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.26 Ft 381

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.56 Ft 471

-55.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.55 Ft 167

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.65 Ft 2,011

-31.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.33 Ft 1,612

210.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.13 Ft 341

61.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.41 Ft 426

126.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.18 Ft 357

-25.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$25.22 Ft 7,631

-25.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.90 Ft 876

-53.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.13 Ft 341

18.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$16.98 Ft 5,138

-53.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.73 Ft 525

-28.90%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$25.6K Ft 7.7M

-15.50%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$31.4K Ft 9.5M

-28.31%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$140 Ft 42.4K

-49.71%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$26.75 Ft 8,094

-48.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$20.01 Ft 6,055

-12.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$46.65 Ft 14.1K

-11.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.83 Ft 5,093

-58.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.47 Ft 2,261

-22.76%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$300 Ft 90.7K

2.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,864 Ft 2.1M

112.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$69.8 Ft 21.1K

-20.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$27.54 Ft 8,331

-4.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$75.6 Ft 22.9K

13.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$85.1 Ft 25.7K

-15.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$434 Ft 131.4K

-1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$339 Ft 102.7K

-29.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$785 Ft 237.4K

4.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$710 Ft 214.9K

-28.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$3,235 Ft 978.7K

-38.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$2,436 Ft 737.0K

-39.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$1,473 Ft 445.5K

-57.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.4

-32.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vac: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $434 in Vac. 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 138% higher in Vac, 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 $46.00 in Vac. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $219 in Vac – so Vac 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 Vac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vac costs about 27% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,655 in Vac. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $300 in Vac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Vac – 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 $869, than in Vac at $1,103. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vac it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,103 in Vac. 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, Vac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.