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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,329 in Vac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,280 in Vac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,232 in Vac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 30% cheaper than Vac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Vac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Vac 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$19.40 Ft 6,171

-89.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$115 Ft 36.6K

-82.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.70 Ft 3,086

-41.55%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.39 Ft 760

-24.27%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.58 Ft 503

-51.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.32 Ft 419

-73.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.24 Ft 711

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.38 Ft 758

59.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.30 Ft 414

57.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.47 Ft 469

2.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.32 Ft 740

-39.66%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.28 Ft 1,044

-31.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$8.52 Ft 2,709

90.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.10 Ft 1,940

-52.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$16.85 Ft 5,359

-44.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.91 Ft 607

40.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.16 Ft 688

-49.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.11 Ft 672

-23.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.40 Ft 762

-39.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.67 Ft 530

-23.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.17 Ft 373

-9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.36 Ft 433

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.51 Ft 164

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$7.79 Ft 2,479

-45.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.08 Ft 1,617

260.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.86 Ft 273

89.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.28 Ft 727

27.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$1.39 Ft 444

-36.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$30.20 Ft 9,608

78.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$3.00 Ft 954

-61.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.61 Ft 512

-63.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$16.80 Ft 5,345

-85.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.84 Ft 586

-21.20%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$28.9K Ft 9.2M

-27.20%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$40.5K Ft 12.9M

-34.79%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$157 Ft 49.9K

-59.45%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$25.87 Ft 8,230

-50.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$22.02 Ft 7,006

-6.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$49.73 Ft 15.8K

-21.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$17.35 Ft 5,518

-77.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$8.45 Ft 2,688

-22.13%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$309 Ft 98.2K

154.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$6,805 Ft 2.2M

115.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$90.6 Ft 28.8K

-39.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$32.35 Ft 10.3K

-23.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$83.9 Ft 26.7K

12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$109 Ft 34.7K

-32.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$528 Ft 168.1K

-7.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$408 Ft 129.7K

-29.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$866 Ft 275.5K

2.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$784 Ft 249.3K

-33.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$3,145 Ft 1.0M

-37.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,657 Ft 845.4K

-45.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$1,438 Ft 457.4K

-58.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Vac: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $528 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 139% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $115 in Vac. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $238 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 43% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,993 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $309 in Vac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% 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 $932, than in Vac at $1,329. 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 $932 versus $1,329 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.