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 $1,182 per month in Dabas vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,726 per month in Dabas vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,269 per month in Dabas vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dabas costs about 39% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dabas and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dabas 12% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 Ft 2,673

$1.96 ฿63.6

338.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 Ft 10.9K

$18.81 ฿611

86.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 Ft 2,673

$7.92 ฿258

8.59%

Cappuccino

$1.47 Ft 457

$1.91 ฿62.2

-23.04%

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

$1.11 Ft 344

$0.84 ฿27.25

32.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 Ft 139

$0.35 ฿11.44

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 Ft 477

$2.21 ฿71.7

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 Ft 434

$3.80 ฿124

-63.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 Ft 344

$1.64 ฿53.2

-32.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 Ft 438

$1.62 ฿52.8

-12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 573

$1.18 ฿38.40

55.93%

Eggs

$2.44 Ft 759

$2.01 ฿65.4

21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 Ft 2,833

$15.89 ฿517

-42.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 Ft 1,812

$3.01 ฿98.0

93.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.11 Ft 4,385

$10.77 ฿350

31.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 Ft 629

$2.61 ฿85.0

-22.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 Ft 628

$1.22 ฿39.65

65.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 Ft 652

$1.70 ฿55.4

23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 Ft 1,120

$1.58 ฿51.2

127.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 379

$1.32 ฿42.89

-7.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 Ft 385

$1.17 ฿38.01

5.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 Ft 553

$0.67 ฿21.85

165.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 182

$0.56 ฿18.21

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 Ft 2,302

$4.53 ฿147

63.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.92 Ft 1,529

$18.20 ฿592

-72.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 380

$1.83 ฿59.6

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 Ft 633

$3.23 ฿105

-36.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 Ft 361

$0.89 ฿28.83

30.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.24 Ft 7,846

$19.38 ฿630

30.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 Ft 1,008

$1.35 ฿43.95

140.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 Ft 331

$1.35 ฿43.79

-20.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.76 Ft 7,074

$8.25 ฿268

175.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 Ft 451

$1.27 ฿41.40

14.17%

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

$27.2K Ft 8.5M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

28.81%

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

$31.3K Ft 9.7M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

39.00%

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

$165 Ft 51.4K

$70.2 ฿2,281

135.78%

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

$27.51 Ft 8,551

$13.77 ฿448

99.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.74 Ft 6,137

$17.60 ฿572

12.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 Ft 14.3K

$41.57 ฿1,352

10.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.49 Ft 5,127

$6.60 ฿215

149.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 Ft 2,388

$5.78 ฿188

32.87%

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

$401 Ft 124.8K

$306 ฿9,953

31.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,125 Ft 2.2M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-51.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 Ft 28.2K

$54.4 ฿1,768

66.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.20 Ft 13.7K

$26.14 ฿850

69.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 Ft 28.7K

$84.5 ฿2,748

9.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 Ft 31.9K

$69.4 ฿2,257

47.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 Ft 139.4K

$424 ฿13.8K

5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 Ft 105.3K

$238 ฿7,743

42.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 Ft 200.0K

$825 ฿26.8K

-22.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 Ft 162.4K

$515 ฿16.7K

1.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,999 Ft 932.2K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

46.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,142 Ft 665.9K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

40.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Dabas versus $424 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 – $230 in Dabas vs $243 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 39% 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 $1,773 per month in Dabas and $1,278 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 $401 per month in Dabas and $306 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 6% 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 $852, than in Dabas at $1,182. 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 $852 versus $1,182 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.