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 $1,978 in Victoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,130 in Victoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,283 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 48% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$15.73 SCR 227

-87.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$44.24 SCR 638

-57.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.94 SCR 129

-11.41%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.98 SCR 71.8

-61.65%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.66 SCR 38.36

-68.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.73 SCR 39.37

-87.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.92 SCR 56.5

-43.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$4.61 SCR 66.6

-17.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.79 SCR 25.82

-8.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.79 SCR 25.82

-9.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.75 SCR 39.64

-57.09%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.65 SCR 52.7

-44.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$33.94 SCR 490

-53.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.99 SCR 86.4

-49.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.64 SCR 168

-7.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.30 SCR 33.17

13.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.67 SCR 38.47

-54.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.13 SCR 30.75

-20.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$6.26 SCR 90.4

-74.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.06 SCR 29.67

-35.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.48 SCR 21.32

-20.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.31 SCR 18.98

-48.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.49 SCR 21.48

-62.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$21.64 SCR 312

-79.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$10.07 SCR 145

80.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$4.43 SCR 63.9

-58.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$6.71 SCR 96.9

-51.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.84 SCR 12.13

5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$24.64 SCR 356

-21.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$6.86 SCR 98.9

-80.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.13 SCR 30.72

-36.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$20.97 SCR 303

-60.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.40 SCR 20.20

-9.29%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$26.3K SCR 379.0K

-19.46%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.8K SCR 501.5K

-35.30%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$135 SCR 1,942

-47.87%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$40.70 SCR 587

-66.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$155 SCR 2,239

-88.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$92.2 SCR 1,331

-54.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$15.39 SCR 222

-57.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.07 SCR 73.2

14.00%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$154 SCR 2,226

98.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,288 SCR 119.6K

78.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$66.0 SCR 952

-17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$27.17 SCR 392

-3.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$70.5 SCR 1,017

19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$72.7 SCR 1,050

-4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$936 SCR 13.5K

-54.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$738 SCR 10.7K

-67.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$2,010 SCR 29.0K

-58.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,789 SCR 25.8K

-71.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$465 SCR 6,709

340.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,208 SCR 17.4K

26.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$904 SCR 13.0K

-29.73%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Victoria: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $936 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 42% 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 $44.00 in Victoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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 132% 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 $2,966 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $154 in Victoria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% 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 $1,978. 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 $1,978 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.