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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,993 in Victoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,174 in Victoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,355 in Victoria, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 57% cheaper than Victoria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Victoria is 50% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$15.85 SCR 229

-87.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$44.53 SCR 644

-57.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$9.09 SCR 131

-13.53%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$5.03 SCR 72.7

-59.64%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$2.71 SCR 39.17

-70.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.62 SCR 37.83

-86.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.93 SCR 56.8

-45.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.67 SCR 67.5

-21.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.86 SCR 26.83

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.80 SCR 26.01

-12.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.85 SCR 41.16

-57.89%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.52 SCR 51.0

-44.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$33.94 SCR 491

-52.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.01 SCR 86.9

-49.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.86 SCR 172

-8.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.25 SCR 32.46

23.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.54 SCR 36.66

-53.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.21 SCR 31.96

-22.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$6.00 SCR 86.8

-73.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.09 SCR 30.18

-33.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.53 SCR 22.16

-24.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.37 SCR 19.80

-51.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.50 SCR 21.72

-65.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$22.12 SCR 320

-78.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$10.19 SCR 147

74.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$4.21 SCR 60.8

-57.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$6.44 SCR 93.0

-48.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.79 SCR 11.45

15.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$25.32 SCR 366

-26.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$6.79 SCR 98.2

-79.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.02 SCR 29.24

-33.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$20.89 SCR 302

-61.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.40 SCR 20.30

-12.14%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.0K SCR 375.1K

-17.40%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.2K SCR 494.0K

-36.14%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$136 SCR 1,971

-47.69%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$41.83 SCR 605

-66.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$150 SCR 2,172

-88.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$92.6 SCR 1,338

-55.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$15.48 SCR 224

-55.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.23 SCR 75.7

9.37%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$157 SCR 2,276

95.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$8,459 SCR 122.3K

73.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$64.1 SCR 926

-12.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$27.35 SCR 395

-4.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$68.9 SCR 996

23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$72.5 SCR 1,048

-2.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$962 SCR 13.9K

-55.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$744 SCR 10.8K

-67.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$2,007 SCR 29.0K

-60.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,807 SCR 26.1K

-71.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$435 SCR 6,285

341.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,134 SCR 16.4K

29.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$957 SCR 13.8K

-37.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

-69.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Victoria: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $962 in Victoria. 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 61% higher in Victoria, 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 $45.00 in Victoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $382 – 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 Victoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria costs about 134% 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 $2,989 in Victoria. 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 $157 in Victoria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Victoria, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Victoria at $1,993. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Victoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,993 in Victoria. 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, Victoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.