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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Cimislia vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,242 per month in Cimislia vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,632 per month in Cimislia vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cimislia costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cimislia and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cimislia 36% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 MDL 124

$2.03 ฿68.5

250.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.53 MDL 409

$18.71 ฿631

25.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 MDL 134

$7.84 ฿265

-1.91%

Cappuccino

$1.78 MDL 31.01

$1.93 ฿65.0

-7.77%

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

$0.93 MDL 16.22

$0.83 ฿28.05

12.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 MDL 11.21

$0.35 ฿11.82

82.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 MDL 20.91

$2.22 ฿74.9

-45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 MDL 41.07

$3.79 ฿128

-37.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 MDL 17.84

$1.65 ฿55.5

-37.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 MDL 7.48

$1.55 ฿52.4

-72.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MDL 26.44

$1.18 ฿39.86

28.81%

Eggs

$2.15 MDL 37.39

$2.01 ฿68.0

6.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 MDL 152

$16.16 ฿545

-46.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 MDL 69.4

$3.03 ฿102

31.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.92 MDL 155

$10.84 ฿366

-17.71%

Apples (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.88

$2.68 ฿90.4

-78.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.90

$1.22 ฿41.21

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.93

$1.63 ฿54.9

-8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.52

$1.53 ฿51.6

37.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 MDL 10.57

$1.34 ฿45.18

-54.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 MDL 10.13

$1.21 ฿40.93

-52.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MDL 22.95

$0.70 ฿23.67

88.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.47

$0.53 ฿17.73

67.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 MDL 55.7

$4.69 ฿158

-31.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.44 MDL 77.3

$17.71 ฿598

-74.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MDL 20.85

$1.85 ฿62.3

-35.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MDL 34.72

$3.21 ฿108

-37.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 MDL 5.23

$0.89 ฿30.07

-66.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MDL 35.49

$1.41 ฿47.48

44.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.72

$1.29 ฿43.59

-79.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MDL 91.9

$7.79 ฿263

-32.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 23.82

$1.29 ฿43.67

6.20%

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

$31.6K MDL 550.0K

$21.8K ฿734.7K

45.21%

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

$31.5K MDL 548.7K

$21.7K ฿732.1K

45.38%

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

$173 MDL 3,006

$70.0 ฿2,362

146.84%

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

$7.66 MDL 133

$14.19 ฿479

-46.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 191

$17.42 ฿588

-36.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.76 MDL 309

$41.64 ฿1,405

-57.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 MDL 130

$5.78 ฿195

28.89%

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

$386 MDL 6,725

$300 ฿10.1K

28.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,482 MDL 130.2K

$14.5K ฿490.1K

-48.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MDL 1,149

$55.4 ฿1,869

19.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MDL 941

$26.31 ฿888

105.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 MDL 1,966

$84.8 ฿2,863

33.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,117

$70.5 ฿2,379

72.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 MDL 4,016

$425 ฿14.4K

-45.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 MDL 2,977

$235 ฿7,933

-27.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 MDL 6,122

$802 ฿27.1K

-56.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 MDL 5,097

$516 ฿17.4K

-43.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$734 MDL 12.8K

$1,926 ฿65.0K

-61.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$692 MDL 12.0K

$1,451 ฿49.0K

-52.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 MDL 7,533

$586 ฿19.8K

-26.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

84.80%

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

Last update for Cimislia: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $231 in Cimislia 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.

Salaries run about 35% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cimislia versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Cimislia vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Cimislia 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

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

Cimislia costs about 1% 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 $1,278 per month in Cimislia 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 Chiang Mai, 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 $24.00 in Cimislia and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 42% cheaper in Cimislia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Cimislia and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $852 in Cimislia. 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, Cimislia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.