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 $1,179 per month in Dabas vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,736 per month in Dabas vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,294 per month in Dabas vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dabas costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dabas and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dabas 11% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 Ft 2,773

$2.04 ฿68.2

331.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.90 Ft 10.7K

$18.71 ฿624

81.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 Ft 2,735

$7.86 ฿262

10.43%

Cappuccino

$1.40 Ft 440

$2.03 ฿67.7

-31.03%

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

$1.15 Ft 361

$0.80 ฿26.64

43.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 Ft 141

$0.35 ฿11.68

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 Ft 484

$2.14 ฿71.5

-28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 Ft 458

$3.67 ฿122

-60.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Ft 337

$1.73 ฿57.6

-38.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 Ft 442

$1.57 ฿52.4

-10.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 Ft 591

$1.20 ฿39.99

56.67%

Eggs

$2.44 Ft 769

$1.97 ฿65.8

23.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Ft 2,958

$16.23 ฿541

-42.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 Ft 1,937

$3.06 ฿102

100.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.43 Ft 4,547

$10.80 ฿360

33.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 633

$2.77 ฿92.3

-27.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 655

$1.17 ฿38.94

77.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 Ft 692

$1.71 ฿57.0

28.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 Ft 1,120

$1.59 ฿53.2

123.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 384

$1.39 ฿46.51

-12.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 Ft 388

$1.16 ฿38.56

6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 Ft 559

$0.66 ฿22.05

168.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Ft 169

$0.52 ฿17.31

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 Ft 2,300

$4.65 ฿155

56.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.76 Ft 1,501

$17.78 ฿593

-73.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 386

$1.79 ฿59.6

-31.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 640

$3.34 ฿111

-39.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 Ft 356

$0.91 ฿30.27

24.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.17 Ft 7,930

$18.64 ฿622

35.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 Ft 990

$1.41 ฿47.04

122.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 Ft 335

$1.34 ฿44.70

-20.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.84 Ft 7,196

$8.11 ฿270

181.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 Ft 441

$1.23 ฿41.16

13.82%

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

$27.3K Ft 8.6M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

27.14%

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

$31.9K Ft 10.0M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

45.96%

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

$164 Ft 51.5K

$71.3 ฿2,379

129.36%

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

$27.10 Ft 8,539

$14.01 ฿467

93.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.77 Ft 6,230

$17.93 ฿598

10.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.94 Ft 14.5K

$40.82 ฿1,362

12.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 Ft 5,225

$6.88 ฿230

140.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 Ft 2,426

$5.72 ฿191

34.62%

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

$405 Ft 127.5K

$308 ฿10.3K

31.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,264 Ft 2.3M

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-50.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.5 Ft 29.1K

$55.8 ฿1,860

65.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.93 Ft 14.2K

$26.04 ฿869

72.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 Ft 29.3K

$84.8 ฿2,829

9.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 Ft 31.7K

$71.0 ฿2,368

41.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 Ft 138.2K

$423 ฿14.1K

3.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Ft 108.4K

$242 ฿8,088

41.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 Ft 201.2K

$797 ฿26.6K

-19.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 Ft 165.3K

$507 ฿16.9K

3.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,519 Ft 1.1M

$1,918 ฿64.0K

83.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 Ft 750.8K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

62.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dabas versus $423 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 $34.00 in Dabas versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Dabas vs $244 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 38% 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 $1,768 per month in Dabas and $1,279 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 $405 per month in Dabas and $308 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 5% 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 $1,179. 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 $1,179 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.