Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Yilan

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $984 in Yilan, rent and utilities included – about $580 less a year. The total is higher in Yilan despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Yilan
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Yilan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Yilan

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$984

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Yilan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Yilan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $984 in Yilan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Yilan $984

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,699 in Yilan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Yilan $1,699

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,413 in Yilan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Yilan $2,413

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Yilan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Yilan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Yilan 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.43 NT$112

-34.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$29.68 NT$968

-35.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$4.84 NT$158

14.67%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.86 NT$93.2

-41.61%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.99 NT$32.29

-35.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.69 NT$22.42

-55.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.47 NT$47.96

60.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.57 NT$83.7

42.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$3.07 NT$100

-36.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.46

$1.74 NT$56.7

-17.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.03

$2.65 NT$86.4

-49.81%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.52 NT$82.0

-9.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$28.23 NT$920

-41.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$7.94 NT$259

-64.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$16.10 NT$525

-42.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$4.31 NT$140

-45.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.79

$1.83 NT$59.8

-46.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.95 NT$96.2

-45.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.13 NT$69.5

-29.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

$1.20 NT$39.13

6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.18

$1.94 NT$63.4

-43.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$2.35 NT$76.5

-69.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.88 NT$28.81

-44.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.74 NT$122

10.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$15.68 NT$511

11.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.36 NT$44.45

18.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.50 NT$81.7

11.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.30

$0.76 NT$24.75

14.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$33.33 NT$1,087

62.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.04

$2.69 NT$87.6

-56.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.95 NT$31.09

-44.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$9.33 NT$304

-74.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.88

$0.95 NT$30.96

52.63%

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

$21.1K ฿710.5K

$25.1K NT$817.2K

-15.98%

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

$26.9K ฿909.0K

$19.1K NT$621.9K

41.24%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$45.67 NT$1,489

36.13%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$14.60 NT$476

-16.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$20.72 NT$676

-2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$30.18 NT$984

23.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$7.76 NT$253

-16.37%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$329 NT$10.7K

123.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.2K

$16.1K NT$525.0K

-8.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$54.4 NT$1,773

-1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$30.53 NT$995

-19.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$84.1 NT$2,742

8.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,427

$61.7 NT$2,013

16.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$264 NT$8,607

82.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$247 NT$8,066

24.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,047 NT$34.1K

-3.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$722 NT$23.5K

-12.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$7,590 NT$247.5K

-68.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$4,807 NT$156.7K

-66.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$1,016 NT$33.1K

-41.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.27

145.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Yilan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Yilan

$247 25.1% 19.9% $62

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Yilan

$367 37.3% 56.6% $133

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Yilan

$104 10.6% 4.4% $4.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Yilan

$81 8.2% 14.3% $13

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Yilan

$95 9.7% 23% $18

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Yilan

$44 4.5% 28.6% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Yilan

$46 4.6% 9.1% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $264 in Yilan. 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 72% higher in Yilan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $30 in Yilan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $367 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇼 Yilan

🕒 Local time

12:34 12:34 PM

13:34 1:34 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

95,907

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 TWD = 3.07 USD

100 TWD = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TWD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 32.61 TWD (100 TWD = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 36.41 TWD (100 TWD = 2.75 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Yilan 2,440 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Yilan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Yilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yilan costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,476 in Yilan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yilan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $264 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $329 in Yilan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Yilan, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $984 in Yilan. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $984 in Yilan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Yilan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.