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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,028 in Victoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,213 in Victoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,398 in Victoria, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 54% cheaper than Victoria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Victoria is 48% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$17.89 SCR 259

-88.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$51.5 SCR 745

-61.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$12.86 SCR 186

-55.91%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.00 SCR 57.8

-54.75%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.34 SCR 33.86

-67.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$2.68 SCR 38.71

-86.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$4.16 SCR 60.1

-46.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.93 SCR 56.8

-3.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.89 SCR 27.37

8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.73 SCR 24.98

-12.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.61 SCR 37.73

-46.36%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.85 SCR 55.7

-41.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$31.48 SCR 455

-48.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.23 SCR 90.0

-53.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$12.63 SCR 183

-25.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.22 SCR 32.10

20.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.86 SCR 41.32

-61.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.41 SCR 34.78

-32.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$6.53 SCR 94.4

-77.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.00 SCR 28.89

-36.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.81 SCR 26.17

-41.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.50 SCR 21.62

-52.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.34 SCR 19.39

-60.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$24.51 SCR 354

-82.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$10.08 SCR 146

81.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$4.42 SCR 63.9

-63.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$5.70 SCR 82.4

-49.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.75 SCR 10.81

17.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$34.21 SCR 495

57.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.57 SCR 22.72

-7.64%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$27.8K SCR 401.8K

-24.39%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$33.3K SCR 481.8K

-20.70%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$141 SCR 2,033

-54.73%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$41.98 SCR 607

-69.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$142 SCR 2,059

-85.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$78.9 SCR 1,140

-50.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$8.00 SCR 116

-51.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$7.30 SCR 106

-9.86%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$143 SCR 2,066

448.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$8,666 SCR 125.3K

69.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$37.12 SCR 537

48.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$24.87 SCR 360

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$90.8 SCR 1,312

3.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$101 SCR 1,455

-26.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$959 SCR 13.9K

-48.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$809 SCR 11.7K

-64.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$2,229 SCR 32.2K

-60.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,735 SCR 25.1K

-69.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$449 SCR 6,490

339.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,186 SCR 17.1K

21.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$940 SCR 13.6K

-36.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-53.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Victoria: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $959 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 56% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $52.0 in Victoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $381 – 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 118% 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 $3,042 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $143 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 $932, than in Victoria at $2,028. 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 $932 versus $2,028 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.