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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,511 in Yens, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,311 in Yens, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,111 in Yens, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 75% cheaper than Yens, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Yens is 162% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$30.64 CHF 24.16

-93.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$145 CHF 114

-87.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$18.91 CHF 14.91

-58.65%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$6.15 CHF 4.85

-68.29%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$5.34 CHF 4.21

-84.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$4.87 CHF 3.84

-92.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$9.92 CHF 7.82

-78.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.43 CHF 5.86

-49.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.17 CHF 1.71

-21.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.84 CHF 3.03

-57.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$4.52 CHF 3.56

-74.78%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$7.10 CHF 5.60

-72.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$26.46 CHF 20.86

-38.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$28.53 CHF 22.50

-89.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$43.82 CHF 34.55

-75.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.64 CHF 2.87

-24.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.11 CHF 1.66

-42.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.81 CHF 2.22

-42.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$6.57 CHF 5.18

-75.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.44 CHF 1.92

-42.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.33 CHF 1.83

-49.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.49 CHF 1.96

-73.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.46 CHF 1.15

-63.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$10.93 CHF 8.62

-57.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$13.76 CHF 10.85

35.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.02 CHF 1.59

-10.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.12 CHF 2.46

3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$3.95 CHF 3.11

-77.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$98.7 CHF 77.8

-80.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$8.10 CHF 6.38

-82.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$3.37 CHF 2.65

-61.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$66.2 CHF 52.2

-88.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-42.01%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$40.0K CHF 31.6K

-46.85%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$41.6K CHF 32.8K

-46.63%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$304 CHF 240

-77.27%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$51.1 CHF 40.31

-72.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$57.7 CHF 45.49

-68.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$89.6 CHF 70.7

-54.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$23.13 CHF 18.23

-74.41%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$2,554 CHF 2,014

-88.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$33.7K CHF 26.6K

-55.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$107 CHF 84.7

-49.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$70.9 CHF 55.9

-62.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$151 CHF 119

-43.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$184 CHF 145

-61.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,711 CHF 1,349

-74.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$1,451 CHF 1,144

-83.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$2,872 CHF 2,264

-72.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$2,427 CHF 1,913

-78.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$15.7K CHF 12.4K

-87.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$10.6K CHF 8,331

-86.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

100.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yens: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,711 in Yens. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $145 in Yens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $618 – 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 Yens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yens costs about 305% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,266 in Yens. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,554 in Yens. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 151% more in Yens, 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 $866, than in Yens at $3,511. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yens it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $3,511 in Yens. 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, Yens makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.