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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,965 in Victoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,172 in Victoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,378 in Victoria, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 56% cheaper than Victoria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Victoria is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$15.84 SCR 229

-87.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$44.95 SCR 649

-58.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$9.44 SCR 136

-17.90%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.86 SCR 70.2

-60.49%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$2.76 SCR 39.88

-71.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$2.65 SCR 38.21

-86.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.89 SCR 56.1

-43.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.56 SCR 65.9

-19.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.85 SCR 26.71

-10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.71 SCR 24.67

-4.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.86 SCR 41.26

-58.39%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.52 SCR 50.8

-43.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$34.01 SCR 491

-53.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.06 SCR 87.6

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.98 SCR 173

-9.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.27 SCR 32.77

21.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.54 SCR 36.73

-53.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.17 SCR 31.36

-24.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$6.00 SCR 86.6

-74.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.97 SCR 28.51

-29.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.51 SCR 21.83

-21.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.38 SCR 19.94

-49.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.50 SCR 21.68

-62.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$21.77 SCR 314

-78.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$10.55 SCR 152

56.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$4.35 SCR 62.8

-57.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$6.64 SCR 96.0

-51.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.81 SCR 11.71

8.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$25.11 SCR 363

-25.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$6.96 SCR 101

-80.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.12 SCR 30.57

-36.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$20.82 SCR 301

-62.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.45 SCR 21.01

-15.17%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$26.0K SCR 375.2K

-16.76%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.1K SCR 492.1K

-33.83%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$135 SCR 1,956

-47.93%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$40.87 SCR 590

-66.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$150 SCR 2,160

-88.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$91.7 SCR 1,324

-54.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$15.31 SCR 221

-54.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.20 SCR 75.1

10.96%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$158 SCR 2,275

94.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$8,479 SCR 122.5K

72.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$66.3 SCR 958

-15.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$27.59 SCR 398

-5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$70.3 SCR 1,015

21.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$71.1 SCR 1,027

1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$933 SCR 13.5K

-53.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$732 SCR 10.6K

-67.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,986 SCR 28.7K

-58.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,809 SCR 26.1K

-71.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$481 SCR 6,942

312.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,276 SCR 18.4K

16.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$975 SCR 14.1K

-36.51%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Victoria: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $933 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 57% 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: $241 vs $383 – 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 126% 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 $2,948 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $158 in Victoria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% 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 $869, than in Victoria at $1,965. 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 $869 versus $1,965 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.