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 $1,149 per month in Chiayi vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,950 per month in Chiayi vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,751 per month in Chiayi vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Chiayi costs about 35% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 NT$217

$2.04 ฿68.2

228.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.61 NT$1,311

$18.71 ฿624

117.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 NT$190

$7.86 ฿262

-25.19%

Cappuccino

$2.24 NT$72.2

$2.03 ฿67.7

10.34%

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

$1.16 NT$37.59

$0.80 ฿26.64

45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.99

$0.35 ฿11.68

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 NT$60.8

$2.14 ฿71.5

-12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 NT$96.3

$3.67 ฿122

-18.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.21 NT$104

$1.73 ฿57.6

85.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NT$61.3

$1.57 ฿52.4

21.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$97.9

$1.20 ฿39.99

152.50%

Eggs

$2.92 NT$94.2

$1.97 ฿65.8

48.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.98 NT$645

$16.23 ฿541

23.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.89 NT$319

$3.06 ฿102

223.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.10 NT$649

$10.80 ฿360

86.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 NT$165

$2.77 ฿92.3

84.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.6

$1.17 ฿38.94

145.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 NT$89.0

$1.71 ฿57.0

61.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 NT$133

$1.59 ฿53.2

159.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 NT$91.5

$1.39 ฿46.51

103.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NT$70.2

$1.16 ฿38.56

87.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NT$60.6

$0.66 ฿22.05

184.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.92

$0.52 ฿17.31

155.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 NT$131

$4.65 ฿155

-12.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 NT$154

$17.78 ฿593

-73.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 NT$58.0

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 NT$78.3

$3.34 ฿111

-27.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 NT$27.07

$0.91 ฿30.27

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 NT$1,278

$18.64 ฿622

112.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 NT$94.6

$1.41 ฿47.04

107.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 NT$13.43

$1.34 ฿44.70

-68.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 NT$324

$8.11 ฿270

23.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.56

$1.23 ฿41.16

-15.45%

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

$37.9K NT$1.2M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

76.71%

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

$27.4K NT$883.6K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

25.39%

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

$72.4 NT$2,338

$71.3 ฿2,379

1.49%

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

$19.02 NT$614

$14.01 ฿467

35.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.90 NT$804

$17.93 ฿598

38.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 NT$1,205

$40.82 ฿1,362

-8.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.33 NT$495

$6.88 ฿230

122.82%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 NT$387

$5.72 ฿191

109.44%

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

$644 NT$20.8K

$308 ฿10.3K

108.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K NT$596.1K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

25.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 NT$1,907

$55.8 ฿1,860

5.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.77 NT$1,058

$26.04 ฿869

25.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 NT$2,969

$84.8 ฿2,829

8.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NT$3,987

$71.0 ฿2,368

73.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 NT$13.8K

$423 ฿14.1K

0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 NT$9,369

$242 ฿8,088

19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 NT$33.6K

$797 ฿26.6K

30.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 NT$23.3K

$507 ฿16.9K

42.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,045 NT$98.3K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

58.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,834 NT$59.2K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

25.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,116 NT$68.3K

$595 ฿19.9K

255.57%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Chiayi versus $423 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 256% 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: $379 vs $244 – 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 35% 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 $1,724 per month in Chiayi and $1,279 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 $644 per month in Chiayi and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% 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 $852, than in Chiayi at $1,149. 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 $852 versus $1,149 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.