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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Chilanga vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $976 per month in Chilanga vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,301 per month in Chilanga vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Chilanga is about 24% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chilanga and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Chilanga 51% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 ZMW 130

$1.96 ฿65.8

264.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 ZMW 460

$18.35 ฿617

37.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.69 ZMW 67.1

$7.48 ฿252

-50.67%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ZMW 37.01

$2.02 ฿67.8

0.50%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.28

$0.85 ฿28.50

-14.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZMW 6.60

$0.36 ฿11.96

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

$2.14 ฿71.8

-57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ZMW 31.94

$3.59 ฿121

-51.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ZMW 23.30

$1.65 ฿55.5

-22.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ZMW 13.74

$1.57 ฿52.7

-52.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.09

$1.19 ฿40.02

34.45%

Eggs

$1.76 ZMW 32.11

$1.94 ฿65.1

-9.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 ZMW 139

$16.19 ฿544

-52.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ZMW 68.9

$2.99 ฿101

26.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.64 ZMW 84.4

$10.94 ฿368

-57.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 ZMW 47.14

$2.71 ฿91.2

-4.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.09

$1.17 ฿39.25

36.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 ZMW 51.3

$1.69 ฿56.7

66.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZMW 20.55

$1.60 ฿54.0

-29.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 ZMW 33.45

$1.38 ฿46.54

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 24.08

$1.20 ฿40.45

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ZMW 15.66

$0.67 ฿22.50

28.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.40

$0.56 ฿18.73

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ZMW 44.87

$4.64 ฿156

-46.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 ZMW 195

$17.62 ฿593

-39.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.52

$1.86 ฿62.5

-39.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 27.70

$3.30 ฿111

-53.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ZMW 48.92

$1.36 ฿45.90

97.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 ZMW 171

$8.21 ฿276

14.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.52

$1.22 ฿41.18

1.64%

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

$8,084 ZMW 147.1K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

-62.14%

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

$28.3K ZMW 514.7K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

25.52%

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

$91.9 ZMW 1,672

$70.7 ฿2,376

29.98%

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

$52.2 ZMW 950

$14.04 ฿472

271.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,311

$17.49 ฿588

625.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 ZMW 77.0

$5.92 ฿199

-28.55%

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

$180 ZMW 3,271

$309 ฿10.4K

-41.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,457 ZMW 172.1K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-36.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.57 ZMW 338

$55.8 ฿1,875

-66.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.71 ZMW 304

$26.11 ฿878

-36.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 ZMW 1,521

$83.0 ฿2,792

0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ZMW 1,308

$70.5 ฿2,369

1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

400.00%

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

Last update for Chilanga: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Chilanga versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Chilanga vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Chilanga wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 32% more than Chilanga, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $977 per month in Chilanga and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Chilanga and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $652 in Chilanga and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chilanga costs $652 versus $861 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 Chilanga. 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.