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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $623 in Zhoushan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,018 in Zhoushan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,413 in Zhoushan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than Zhoushan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Zhoushan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Zhoushan 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$3.40 ¥22.77

-38.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$18.47 ¥124

7.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$4.08 ¥27.32

41.91%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.93 ¥19.65

-37.54%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.47 ¥3.13

65.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.27 ¥1.83

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$0.72 ¥4.82

225.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$1.84 ¥12.34

101.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.88 ¥12.62

7.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.17 ¥14.54

-26.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.91 ¥6.08

56.04%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.09 ¥7.31

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$13.51 ¥90.5

17.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$3.34 ¥22.36

-8.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$11.22 ¥75.2

-12.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.53 ¥10.22

71.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.16 ¥7.79

-5.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.51 ¥10.10

7.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.17 ¥7.83

30.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.62 ¥4.17

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.86 ¥5.76

31.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.62 ¥4.17

19.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.56 ¥3.72

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$5.24 ¥35.11

-18.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.84 ¥79.3

51.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$0.92 ¥6.14

84.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.22 ¥14.85

30.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.29 ¥1.92

224.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$14.86 ¥99.6

272.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.45 ¥9.73

-15.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.43 ¥2.88

23.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$9.06 ¥60.7

-73.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.22 ¥8.20

18.03%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$19.1K ¥127.6K

11.22%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$15.9K ¥106.3K

72.00%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$36.94 ¥247

75.77%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$11.76 ¥78.7

13.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$27.73 ¥186

-24.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$24.68 ¥165

63.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$7.60 ¥50.9

-48.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$5.92 ¥39.65

13.34%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$442 ¥2,960

78.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$16.0K ¥107.1K

-5.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$35.55 ¥238

58.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$21.07 ¥141

18.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$63.7 ¥426

45.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$44.92 ¥301

67.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$324 ¥2,170

49.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$120 ¥803

139.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$749 ¥5,017

21.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$264 ¥1,767

101.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$2,996 ¥20.1K

-33.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$2,016 ¥13.5K

-28.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$600 ¥4,021

0.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.13

77.96%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Zhoushan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $324 in Zhoushan. 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 1% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $18.00 in Zhoushan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $211 – making Zhoushan 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 Zhoushan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than Zhoushan, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $934 in Zhoushan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhoushan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $442 in Zhoushan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhoushan, where all-in costs run around $623, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Zhoushan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zhoushan costs $623 versus $950 in Chiang Mai. 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 Zhoushan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.