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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,160 per month in Chiayi vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,967 per month in Chiayi vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,774 per month in Chiayi vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Chiayi costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiayi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Chiayi 14% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 NT$211

$1.98 ฿64.3

236.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.85 NT$1,291

$18.80 ฿612

117.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 NT$177

$7.75 ฿252

-27.61%

Cappuccino

$2.17 NT$68.7

$1.92 ฿62.5

13.02%

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

$1.12 NT$35.40

$0.79 ฿25.79

41.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 NT$24.90

$0.36 ฿11.62

119.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 NT$60.4

$2.21 ฿72.1

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 NT$97.4

$3.66 ฿119

-15.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 NT$97.9

$1.65 ฿53.8

87.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 NT$61.9

$1.63 ฿53.2

20.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 NT$96.7

$1.19 ฿38.86

157.14%

Eggs

$2.93 NT$92.7

$2.00 ฿65.1

46.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.43 NT$646

$15.98 ฿520

27.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 NT$323

$3.03 ฿98.5

236.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 NT$636

$10.86 ฿354

85.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 NT$164

$2.76 ฿90.0

88.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 NT$94.3

$1.18 ฿38.42

152.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.3

$1.64 ฿53.5

70.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 NT$130

$1.52 ฿49.51

169.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 NT$89.0

$1.38 ฿45.10

104.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.1

$1.19 ฿38.84

91.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 NT$60.0

$0.70 ฿22.86

171.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NT$41.67

$0.56 ฿18.13

135.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 NT$129

$4.58 ฿149

-10.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.66 NT$147

$16.56 ฿539

-71.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NT$58.0

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 NT$76.7

$3.20 ฿104

-24.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 NT$26.14

$0.88 ฿28.56

-5.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.35 NT$1,244

$18.72 ฿610

110.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 NT$88.3

$1.36 ฿44.16

105.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 NT$13.10

$1.34 ฿43.65

-69.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 NT$320

$7.84 ฿256

29.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.65

$1.23 ฿39.92

-16.26%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

78.83%

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

$27.1K NT$856.1K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

20.11%

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

$73.3 NT$2,318

$70.5 ฿2,298

3.93%

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

$18.55 NT$586

$13.68 ฿445

35.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.60 NT$778

$17.45 ฿568

40.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 NT$1,177

$41.33 ฿1,346

-9.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.21 NT$481

$6.96 ฿227

118.53%

Cinema Ticket

$11.88 NT$376

$5.77 ฿188

105.89%

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

$632 NT$20.0K

$307 ฿10.0K

105.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K NT$581.8K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

25.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 NT$1,859

$55.8 ฿1,817

5.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.12 NT$1,047

$26.21 ฿854

26.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 NT$2,921

$85.8 ฿2,793

7.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NT$3,902

$72.2 ฿2,353

70.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 NT$13.8K

$430 ฿14.0K

1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 NT$9,252

$239 ฿7,774

22.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 NT$33.4K

$817 ฿26.6K

29.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 NT$22.8K

$511 ฿16.6K

41.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,631 NT$241.2K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

284.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,251 NT$166.0K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

253.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,156 NT$68.1K

$619 ฿20.2K

248.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

-56.20%

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

Last update for Chiayi: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Chiayi versus $430 in Chiang Mai. 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 248% higher in Chiayi, 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 $41.00 in Chiayi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $241 – 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

Chiayi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiayi costs about 34% 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 $1,740 per month in Chiayi and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. 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 $632 per month in Chiayi and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Chiayi, 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 Chiayi at $1,160. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiayi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,160 in Chiayi. 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, Chiayi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.