Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Zhubei City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Zhubei City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,131 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,066 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,002 in Zhubei City, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 23% cheaper than Zhubei City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Zhubei City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Zhubei City 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.19 NT$164

-61.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$33.59 NT$1,062

-44.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.47 NT$173

41.68%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.54 NT$112

-45.76%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.99 NT$31.28

-20.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.63 NT$19.80

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.17 NT$68.5

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.79 NT$88.2

31.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$3.28 NT$104

-49.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.99 NT$62.9

-18.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$4.30 NT$136

-72.33%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.91 NT$92.1

-31.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$13.97 NT$442

14.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$8.68 NT$275

-65.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$28.00 NT$885

-61.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$4.43 NT$140

-37.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.62 NT$82.8

-54.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.67 NT$84.6

-38.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$3.87 NT$122

-60.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$3.83 NT$121

-63.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.53 NT$79.9

-52.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.55 NT$80.7

-72.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.38 NT$43.70

-59.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.01 NT$127

14.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.97 NT$284

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.59 NT$50.3

15.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.67 NT$84.6

19.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.71 NT$22.53

23.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$39.03 NT$1,234

-52.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$3.40 NT$108

-60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.59 NT$18.68

127.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$10.23 NT$323

-23.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.06 NT$33.67

16.04%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$40.7K NT$1.3M

-46.92%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$27.4K NT$865.3K

-17.63%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$94.1 NT$2,973

-25.01%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$34.26 NT$1,083

-60.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$25.02 NT$791

-30.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$33.69 NT$1,065

22.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$14.92 NT$472

-53.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$12.00 NT$379

-51.92%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$701 NT$22.2K

-56.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$15.4K NT$487.0K

-5.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$85.5 NT$2,702

-34.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$47.46 NT$1,500

-44.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$100 NT$3,165

-14.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$114 NT$3,619

-36.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$438 NT$13.8K

-1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$209 NT$6,603

14.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,186 NT$37.5K

-31.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$838 NT$26.5K

-39.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$16.4K NT$519.5K

-87.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$9,497 NT$300.2K

-84.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$2,477 NT$78.3K

-75.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

108.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zhubei City: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $438 in Zhubei City. 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 300% higher in Zhubei City, 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 $34.00 in Zhubei City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $393 – 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 Zhubei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhubei City costs about 30% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,696 in Zhubei City. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $701 in Zhubei City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Zhubei City, 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 $869, than in Zhubei City at $1,131. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zhubei City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,131 in Zhubei City. 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, Zhubei City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.