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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,136 in Vac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,780 in Vac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,424 in Vac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% cheaper than Vac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Vac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Vac 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$8.82 Ft 2,753

-77.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$45.76 Ft 14.3K

-58.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.75 Ft 2,729

-9.49%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.09 Ft 651

-8.61%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.38 Ft 431

-39.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.08 Ft 338

-67.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.90 Ft 594

16.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.18 Ft 680

74.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.10 Ft 342

49.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.49 Ft 465

8.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.82 Ft 567

-35.16%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.69 Ft 838

-25.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.53 Ft 2,974

66.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.84 Ft 1,823

-48.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.59 Ft 3,618

-7.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.81 Ft 564

44.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.93 Ft 602

-36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.02 Ft 632

-15.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.02 Ft 942

-47.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.14 Ft 354

15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.26 Ft 393

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.56 Ft 487

-57.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.52 Ft 163

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.68 Ft 2,086

-32.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.16 Ft 1,611

252.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.08 Ft 338

69.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.42 Ft 444

127.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.18 Ft 369

-24.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$24.77 Ft 7,727

-21.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.89 Ft 903

-53.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.11 Ft 346

21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$17.31 Ft 5,401

-52.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.77 Ft 551

-28.25%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$26.0K Ft 8.1M

-18.58%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$31.4K Ft 9.8M

-28.46%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$143 Ft 44.7K

-51.02%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$26.24 Ft 8,186

-47.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$19.77 Ft 6,169

-10.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$46.69 Ft 14.6K

-10.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$16.98 Ft 5,298

-61.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.21 Ft 2,250

-19.83%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$289 Ft 90.2K

5.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,852 Ft 2.1M

116.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$72.1 Ft 22.5K

-24.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$27.08 Ft 8,448

-3.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$75.6 Ft 23.6K

11.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$85.0 Ft 26.5K

-18.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$426 Ft 133.1K

-0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$351 Ft 109.5K

-32.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$792 Ft 247.0K

4.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$719 Ft 224.4K

-28.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$3,076 Ft 959.9K

-33.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,442 Ft 761.8K

-37.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,499 Ft 467.8K

-57.64%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Vac: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $426 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 136% 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 – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $217 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 33% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,704 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $289 in Vac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% 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 $852, than in Vac at $1,136. 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 $852 versus $1,136 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.