Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Da Nang: $866 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $710 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

42

Cost of Living Index in Da Nang
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Da Nang Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Da Nang

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$866

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Da Nang and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Da Nang and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $866 per month in Da Nang vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Da Nang $866
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $1,402 per month in Da Nang vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Da Nang $1,402
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $1,937 per month in Da Nang vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Da Nang $1,937
Chiang Mai $1,903

Da Nang is about 6% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Da Nang and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 36% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 ₫59.7K

$2.29 ฿76.5

0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.11 ₫494.6K

$19.64 ฿656

-2.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫117.4K

$5.61 ฿188

-19.07%

Cappuccino

$1.73 ₫44.7K

$1.66 ฿55.6

4.22%

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

$0.60 ₫15.5K

$0.70 ฿23.40

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,807

$0.31 ฿10.24

9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₫35.9K

$2.41 ฿80.4

-42.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₫60.8K

$3.71 ฿124

-36.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ₫41.1K

$1.95 ฿65.3

-18.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₫31.7K

$1.41 ฿47.03

-12.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.1K

$1.31 ฿43.62

-19.85%

Eggs

$1.49 ₫38.5K

$2.18 ฿72.9

-31.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 ₫343.2K

$16.65 ฿556

-20.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 ₫110.1K

$2.76 ฿92.2

53.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₫247.8K

$9.11 ฿304

5.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₫68.3K

$2.39 ฿80.0

10.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ₫31.2K

$1.03 ฿34.26

16.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ₫34.0K

$1.63 ฿54.4

-19.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ₫39.5K

$1.50 ฿50.0

2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.6K

$1.29 ฿43.13

-11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 ₫33.9K

$1.11 ฿37.03

18.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₫26.8K

$0.72 ฿24.08

43.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₫13.7K

$0.53 ฿17.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ₫39.2K

$4.31 ฿144

-64.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ₫195.2K

$17.95 ฿600

-57.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫24.2K

$1.58 ฿52.9

-41.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₫56.2K

$2.84 ฿95.0

-23.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ₫8,963

$0.86 ฿28.86

-59.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.01 ₫129.6K

$53.3 ฿1,780

-90.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ₫26.9K

$1.21 ฿40.29

-14.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₫14.5K

$0.57 ฿18.99

-1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.19 ₫496.8K

$2.35 ฿78.6

716.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.1K

$1.44 ฿47.96

-38.19%

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

$30.4K ₫788.3M

$20.7K ฿692.8K

46.88%

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

$28.1K ₫726.2M

$26.8K ฿895.7K

4.66%

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

$78.5 ₫2.0M

$62.3 ฿2,083

26.01%

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

$6.17 ₫159.8K

$12.11 ฿405

-49.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.35 ₫216.1K

$19.94 ฿666

-58.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.33 ₫655.7K

$37.07 ฿1,239

-31.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.45 ₫141.0K

$3.78 ฿126

44.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 ₫85.1K

$6.50 ฿217

-49.38%

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

$160 ₫4.2M

$793 ฿26.5K

-79.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ₫385.9M

$14.8K ฿494.9K

0.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.73 ₫1.2M

$53.7 ฿1,796

-16.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.90 ₫722.2K

$24.62 ฿823

13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ₫2.6M

$90.9 ฿3,036

12.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 ₫2.1M

$71.1 ฿2,378

14.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 ₫13.8M

$455 ฿15.2K

16.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₫9.0M

$298 ฿9,954

16.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 ₫26.9M

$908 ฿30.4K

14.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₫20.6M

$554 ฿18.5K

43.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₫99.7M

$1,931 ฿64.5K

99.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 ₫34.4M

$1,445 ฿48.3K

-8.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 ₫9.2M

$591 ฿19.7K

-40.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.72

5.57

92.46%

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

Last update for Da Nang: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Da Nang

$346 39.9%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 13.9% $48

Groceries & Markets

Da Nang

$202 23.3%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 16.6% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Da Nang

$115 13.3%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 6.1% $7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Da Nang

$93 10.7%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 1.4% $1.3

Eating Out

Da Nang

$68 7.9%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 15.3% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Da Nang

$32 3.7%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 56.9% $18

Getting Around

Da Nang

$10 1.2%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 494% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $532 in Da Nang versus $455 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 67% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Da Nang versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $235 – making Da Nang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Da Nang

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

12:56 12:56 PM

Same time as Da Nang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,245,200

127,240

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Da Nang Chiang Mai 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Da Nang
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Da Nang vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Da Nang, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Da Nang and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $160 per month in Da Nang and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Da Nang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Da Nang costs $866 versus $925 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 Da Nang. 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.