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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 10.1% more expensive than Zhongshan without rent, and 35.7% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 25.5% more expensive than Zhongshan without rent, and 37.8% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Zhongshan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$2.77 ¥19.83
-27.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$16.58 ¥119
13.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$4.21 ¥30.19
82.19%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$2.78 ¥19.93
-28.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.44 ¥3.15
86.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.27 ¥1.92
22.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$0.73 ¥5.27
190.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$1.7 ¥12.16
119.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Zhongshan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.74 ¥12.5
-5.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$1.74 ¥12.47
-9.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$0.9 ¥6.46
32.22%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$1.64 ¥11.78
20.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$12.82 ¥91.9
24.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$2.68 ¥19.25
16.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$12.77 ¥91.6
-12.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$1.86 ¥13.35
48.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$0.93 ¥6.66
31.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$0.66 ¥4.7
159.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$1.39 ¥9.94
11.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$0.54 ¥3.84
148.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$0.71 ¥5.09
70.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$0.4 ¥2.85
80.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.47 ¥3.35
12.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$2.87 ¥20.59
64.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$12.23 ¥87.8
50.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$0.61 ¥4.39
193.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$1.86 ¥13.36
72.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Zhongshan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.29 ¥2.1
224.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$14.01 ¥100
34.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$1.24 ¥8.88
14.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$0.35 ¥2.49
285.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$6.87 ¥49.3
14.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.12 ¥8.03
11.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$23.2K ¥166.3K
-8.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$20.3K ¥145.7K
7.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Zhongshan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$38.34 ¥275
84.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$8.21 ¥58.9
67.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$11.86 ¥85.1
48.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Zhongshan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$61.8 ¥443
-32.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$7.15 ¥51.3
-3.50%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$5.46 ¥39.17
6.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Zhongshan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$294 ¥2,106
4.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$12.7K ¥91.3K
15.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Zhongshan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$43.41 ¥311
27.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$31.02 ¥222
-14.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$56 ¥402
51.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$68.3 ¥490
5.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Zhongshan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$193 ¥1,384
124.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$117 ¥837
101.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$345 ¥2,476
137.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$199 ¥1,426
150.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$2,389 ¥17.1K
-8.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$1,409 ¥10.1K
9.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Zhongshan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$797 ¥5,717
-11.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
3.83
30.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Zhongshan: October 29, 2025

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