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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,093 in Yilan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,693 in Yilan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,294 in Yilan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Yilan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Yilan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Yilan 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.62 NT$114

-46.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$30.73 NT$967

-39.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.34 NT$168

46.44%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.95 NT$93.0

-33.90%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.10 NT$34.59

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.69 NT$21.65

-49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.55 NT$48.92

37.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.91 NT$91.6

28.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$3.57 NT$112

-52.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.77 NT$55.8

-7.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.00 NT$62.9

-43.00%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.63 NT$82.7

-26.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$31.73 NT$999

-48.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.91 NT$249

-60.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$15.67 NT$493

-30.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$4.73 NT$149

-41.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.87 NT$27.39

39.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.31 NT$72.6

-29.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.73 NT$54.5

-8.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.34 NT$42.19

4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.39 NT$43.91

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.17 NT$68.3

-69.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.30 NT$40.82

-59.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.19 NT$132

11.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$16.23 NT$511

14.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.44 NT$45.24

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.66 NT$83.7

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.00 NT$31.63

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$34.29 NT$1,079

-43.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.85 NT$89.6

-50.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.19 NT$37.49

8.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.97 NT$314

-21.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.05 NT$32.91

20.95%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.6K NT$838.1K

-20.09%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$23.5K NT$741.1K

-5.65%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$59.6 NT$1,877

15.85%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$17.18 NT$541

-18.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$22.06 NT$694

-18.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$31.87 NT$1,003

28.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$17.17 NT$541

-59.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$9.79 NT$308

-39.53%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$359 NT$11.3K

-16.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$20.4K NT$642.6K

-26.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$70.9 NT$2,230

-22.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$34.23 NT$1,077

-21.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$78.7 NT$2,477

7.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$86.8 NT$2,731

-18.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$303 NT$9,544

41.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$292 NT$9,185

-18.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$669 NT$21.1K

19.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$492 NT$15.5K

4.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$7,553 NT$237.7K

-73.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$5,424 NT$170.7K

-72.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,040 NT$32.7K

-40.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

129.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yilan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $303 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 68% higher in Yilan, 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 $31.00 in Yilan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $376 – 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 Yilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yilan costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,639 in Yilan. 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 $359 in Yilan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Yilan, 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 Yilan at $1,093. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yilan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,093 in Yilan. 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, Yilan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.