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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $699 per month in Choloma vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Choloma vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,633 per month in Choloma vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Choloma is about 17% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Choloma and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Choloma 48% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.78 HNL 155

$2.03 ฿68.6

184.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.84 HNL 1,012

$18.71 ฿633

102.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 HNL 209

$7.84 ฿265

-0.26%

Cappuccino

$2.35 HNL 62.8

$1.93 ฿65.1

21.76%

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

$0.96 HNL 25.63

$0.83 ฿28.10

15.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 HNL 30.45

$0.35 ฿11.84

225.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 HNL 30.45

$2.22 ฿75.1

-48.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 HNL 70.9

$3.79 ฿128

-30.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 HNL 37.16

$1.65 ฿55.6

-15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 HNL 56.0

$1.55 ฿52.4

34.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 HNL 33.02

$1.18 ฿39.93

4.24%

Eggs

$2.04 HNL 54.6

$2.01 ฿68.1

1.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 HNL 164

$16.16 ฿546

-62.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 HNL 100

$3.03 ฿102

23.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 HNL 218

$10.84 ฿366

-24.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 HNL 76.7

$2.68 ฿90.6

7.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 HNL 40.08

$1.22 ฿41.28

22.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 HNL 39.21

$1.63 ฿55.0

-9.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 HNL 40.41

$1.53 ฿51.7

-1.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 HNL 42.59

$1.34 ฿45.26

18.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 HNL 35.97

$1.21 ฿41.00

11.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 HNL 22.70

$0.70 ฿23.72

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 HNL 44.00

$0.53 ฿17.76

211.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 HNL 65.3

$4.69 ฿158

-47.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿599

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 HNL 35.77

$1.85 ฿62.4

-27.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 HNL 49.08

$3.21 ฿109

-42.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 HNL 15.36

$0.89 ฿30.12

-35.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 HNL 115

$1.41 ฿47.57

205.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 HNL 27.36

$1.29 ฿43.74

-20.93%

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

$19.1K HNL 509.7K

$21.8K ฿736.0K

-12.44%

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

$19.5K HNL 522.3K

$21.7K ฿733.4K

-9.96%

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

$83.8 HNL 2,241

$70.0 ฿2,366

19.75%

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

$9.09 HNL 243

$14.19 ฿480

-35.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.29 HNL 1,104

$17.42 ฿589

137.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,408

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 HNL 153

$5.78 ฿195

-0.87%

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

$252 HNL 6,735

$300 ฿10.1K

-15.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿491.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.43 HNL 1,215

$55.4 ฿1,872

-17.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.56 HNL 978

$26.31 ฿890

38.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 HNL 2,916

$84.8 ฿2,868

28.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 HNL 2,787

$70.5 ฿2,383

47.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$108 HNL 2,896

$425 ฿14.4K

-74.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.3 HNL 2,656

$235 ฿7,947

-57.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 HNL 9,348

$802 ฿27.1K

-56.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 HNL 7,941

$516 ฿17.4K

-42.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

140.00%

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

Last update for Choloma: July 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $108 in Choloma versus $425 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Choloma versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $187 in Choloma vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Choloma 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Choloma, 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 $1,049 per month in Choloma and $1,271 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Choloma and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $699 in Choloma and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Choloma costs $699 versus $847 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 Choloma. 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.