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 $1,099 in Vac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,780 in Vac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,462 in Vac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 22% 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 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$9.09 Ft 2,876

-77.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$46.56 Ft 14.7K

-59.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$8.71 Ft 2,755

-9.76%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$2.15 Ft 679

-5.58%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$1.39 Ft 438

-42.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$1.03 Ft 326

-66.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.85 Ft 585

15.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.28 Ft 720

60.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.06 Ft 334

63.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$1.57 Ft 498

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.91 Ft 606

-37.17%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.68 Ft 848

-26.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$9.21 Ft 2,914

76.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.86 Ft 1,855

-47.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$11.80 Ft 3,733

-8.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.81 Ft 571

53.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.89 Ft 598

-38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$2.03 Ft 641

-15.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$3.11 Ft 983

-48.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.10 Ft 347

26.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.26 Ft 397

-7.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$1.50 Ft 473

-56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.56 Ft 177

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.92 Ft 2,191

-32.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$5.04 Ft 1,594

252.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.08 Ft 342

65.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$1.45 Ft 460

130.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$1.17 Ft 370

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$25.18 Ft 7,967

-25.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$2.83 Ft 896

-50.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.11 Ft 351

20.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$16.98 Ft 5,372

-52.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.68 Ft 530

-26.79%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$26.1K Ft 8.3M

-18.00%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$30.5K Ft 9.6M

-28.39%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$140 Ft 44.4K

-49.21%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$26.41 Ft 8,356

-46.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$19.91 Ft 6,300

-9.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$47.20 Ft 14.9K

-13.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$16.78 Ft 5,307

-59.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.32 Ft 2,317

-21.86%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$294 Ft 93.1K

4.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$6,817 Ft 2.2M

115.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$70.1 Ft 22.2K

-20.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$26.90 Ft 8,511

-3.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$74.3 Ft 23.5K

14.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$85.0 Ft 26.9K

-16.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$427 Ft 135.2K

-0.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$343 Ft 108.5K

-29.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$780 Ft 246.7K

2.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$725 Ft 229.5K

-30.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$3,140 Ft 993.4K

-38.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$2,368 Ft 749.3K

-38.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,462 Ft 462.7K

-59.31%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Vac: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $427 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 146% 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 $47.00 in Vac. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $218 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 29% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,649 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $294 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 $1,099. 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 $1,099 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.