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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,162 per month in Dabas vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,729 per month in Dabas vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,296 per month in Dabas vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dabas costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dabas and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dabas 14% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.85 Ft 2,678

$1.98 ฿64.3

346.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.15 Ft 10.6K

$18.80 ฿612

86.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 Ft 2,676

$7.75 ฿252

14.06%

Cappuccino

$1.47 Ft 445

$1.92 ฿62.5

-23.44%

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

$1.10 Ft 332

$0.79 ฿25.79

39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 Ft 124

$0.36 ฿11.62

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 Ft 469

$2.21 ฿72.1

-29.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 Ft 444

$3.66 ฿119

-59.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Ft 333

$1.65 ฿53.8

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Ft 441

$1.63 ฿53.2

-10.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 Ft 571

$1.19 ฿38.86

58.82%

Eggs

$2.51 Ft 759

$2.00 ฿65.1

25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Ft 2,840

$15.98 ฿520

-41.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 Ft 1,815

$3.03 ฿98.5

98.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.38 Ft 4,350

$10.86 ฿354

32.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 581

$2.76 ฿90.0

-30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 608

$1.18 ฿38.42

70.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 Ft 666

$1.64 ฿53.5

34.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 Ft 1,097

$1.52 ฿49.51

138.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 Ft 382

$1.38 ฿45.10

-8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 Ft 376

$1.19 ฿38.84

4.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 Ft 518

$0.70 ฿22.86

144.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Ft 163

$0.56 ฿18.13

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 Ft 2,138

$4.58 ฿149

54.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 Ft 1,445

$16.56 ฿539

-71.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 370

$1.83 ฿59.5

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 Ft 620

$3.20 ฿104

-35.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 Ft 354

$0.88 ฿28.56

32.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.46 Ft 7,704

$18.72 ฿610

36.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 Ft 967

$1.36 ฿44.16

135.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 Ft 325

$1.34 ฿43.65

-20.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.30 Ft 7,048

$7.84 ฿256

197.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 Ft 448

$1.23 ฿39.92

20.33%

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

$27.2K Ft 8.2M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

25.96%

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

$31.0K Ft 9.4M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

37.64%

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

$166 Ft 50.3K

$70.5 ฿2,298

135.55%

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

$27.94 Ft 8,454

$13.68 ฿445

104.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.49 Ft 5,897

$17.45 ฿568

11.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.84 Ft 13.9K

$41.33 ฿1,346

10.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.01 Ft 5,146

$6.96 ฿227

144.40%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 Ft 2,330

$5.77 ฿188

33.45%

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

$398 Ft 120.3K

$307 ฿10.0K

29.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,300 Ft 2.2M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-50.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 Ft 28.0K

$55.8 ฿1,817

66.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.81 Ft 13.6K

$26.21 ฿854

70.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 Ft 28.6K

$85.8 ฿2,793

10.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 Ft 30.6K

$72.2 ฿2,353

39.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 Ft 135.2K

$430 ฿14.0K

4.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 Ft 104.5K

$239 ฿7,774

44.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 Ft 190.6K

$817 ฿26.6K

-22.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 Ft 164.0K

$511 ฿16.6K

6.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 Ft 994.4K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

65.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,519 Ft 762.1K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

69.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

60.00%

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

Last update for Dabas: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $447 in Dabas versus $430 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 $35.00 in Dabas versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Dabas vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Dabas 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

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

Dabas costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,743 per month in Dabas and $1,303 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 $398 per month in Dabas and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Dabas – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Dabas at $1,162. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dabas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,162 in Dabas. 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, Dabas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.