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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,124 per month in Dealu vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,848 per month in Dealu vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,572 per month in Dealu vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dealu costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dealu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dealu 18% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.14 RON 68.4

$2.08 ฿68.4

627.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.4 RON 399

$19.64 ฿644

349.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 RON 40.35

$5.65 ฿186

58.23%

Cappuccino

$2.14 RON 9.68

$1.81 ฿59.2

18.23%

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

$2.07 RON 9.36

$0.71 ฿23.40

191.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.94

$0.32 ฿10.36

518.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 RON 11.79

$2.24 ฿73.4

16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.43

$3.63 ฿119

-5.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.12

$1.96 ฿64.3

-8.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.44

$1.50 ฿49.29

-4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.95

$1.34 ฿43.84

31.34%

Eggs

$4.91 RON 22.17

$2.26 ฿74.3

117.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 RON 40.44

$16.26 ฿533

-44.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 RON 25.36

$2.95 ฿96.9

90.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.70 RON 48.33

$9.94 ฿326

7.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.27

$2.57 ฿84.4

-54.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.95

$1.06 ฿34.66

45.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.50

$1.61 ฿52.9

3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 RON 12.18

$1.52 ฿49.86

77.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.50

$1.27 ฿41.68

-38.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 RON 3.01

$1.07 ฿34.99

-37.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 RON 3.45

$0.72 ฿23.63

6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.51 ฿16.69

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.81 RON 26.25

$4.19 ฿138

38.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.63 RON 29.93

$17.87 ฿586

-62.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$1.69 ฿55.6

-7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.14

$2.84 ฿93.1

-28.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.61

$0.93 ฿30.36

-13.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.32 RON 101

$53.9 ฿1,767

-58.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 RON 2.91

$1.23 ฿40.50

-47.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.19

$0.58 ฿18.92

22.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.30 RON 32.95

$2.42 ฿79.5

201.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 RON 8.52

$1.41 ฿46.34

34.04%

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

$29.1K RON 131.5K

$21.4K ฿703.6K

35.86%

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

$29.5K RON 133.2K

$27.3K ฿896.8K

7.90%

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

$110 RON 498

$63.7 ฿2,089

73.33%

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

$11.17 RON 50.4

$12.85 ฿422

-13.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.11 RON 23.07

$20.22 ฿663

-74.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.72 RON 179

$38.74 ฿1,271

2.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.12 RON 95.4

$3.97 ฿130

431.99%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 RON 49.36

$6.74 ฿221

62.17%

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

$630 RON 2,843

$778 ฿25.5K

-19.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,292 RON 32.9K

$14.6K ฿479.4K

-50.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 RON 284

$54.3 ฿1,781

15.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.57 RON 170

$25.45 ฿835

47.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 RON 591

$94.3 ฿3,095

38.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$73.4 ฿2,410

48.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 RON 1,808

$490 ฿16.1K

-18.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 RON 1,363

$289 ฿9,492

4.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 RON 2,817

$894 ฿29.3K

-30.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 RON 2,118

$517 ฿17.0K

-9.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,908 RON 8,616

$1,955 ฿64.1K

-2.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 RON 6,157

$1,477 ฿48.5K

-7.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

5.57

25.13%

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

Last update for Dealu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $401 in Dealu versus $490 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 $88.0 in Dealu versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Dealu vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Dealu 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

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

Dealu costs about 19% 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 $1,685 per month in Dealu and $1,421 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 $630 per month in Dealu and $778 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 8% cheaper in Dealu – 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 $947, than in Dealu at $1,124. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dealu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,124 in Dealu. 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, Dealu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.