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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $884 per month in Deva vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,343 per month in Deva vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Deva vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Deva costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Deva and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Deva 34% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.64 RON 34.59

$1.94 ฿63.5

293.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.87 RON 104

$18.64 ฿609

22.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 RON 37.26

$7.82 ฿255

5.24%

Cappuccino

$1.90 RON 8.59

$1.95 ฿63.8

-2.56%

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

$1.31 RON 5.93

$0.85 ฿27.77

54.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.21

$0.35 ฿11.58

228.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 RON 6.31

$2.13 ฿69.6

-34.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 RON 10.19

$3.73 ฿122

-39.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.31

$1.71 ฿56.0

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 RON 5.16

$1.63 ฿53.2

-30.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.08

$1.14 ฿37.15

17.54%

Eggs

$2.99 RON 13.51

$1.93 ฿63.1

54.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 RON 36.51

$16.21 ฿530

-50.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 RON 25.09

$3.12 ฿102

77.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 RON 46.91

$10.90 ฿356

-4.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.64

$2.75 ฿90.0

-62.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 RON 6.23

$1.21 ฿39.52

14.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$1.62 ฿53.0

-6.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 RON 9.11

$1.59 ฿51.8

26.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.78

$1.40 ฿45.70

-40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.51

$1.17 ฿38.17

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$0.66 ฿21.60

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.62

$0.53 ฿17.22

50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 RON 26.85

$4.69 ฿153

26.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 RON 34.93

$18.66 ฿609

-58.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.93

$1.80 ฿58.8

-39.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.44

$3.23 ฿106

-48.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 RON 2.58

$0.90 ฿29.26

-36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.58 RON 88.6

$19.21 ฿628

1.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$1.41 ฿45.91

-37.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.67

$1.29 ฿42.12

-37.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 RON 31.59

$7.84 ฿256

-10.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.90

$1.27 ฿41.58

20.47%

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

$27.9K RON 126.2K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

31.11%

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

$28.4K RON 128.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

28.05%

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

$145 RON 657

$69.1 ฿2,256

110.15%

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

$8.94 RON 40.48

$14.08 ฿460

-36.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.59 RON 43.39

$18.00 ฿588

-46.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.85 RON 189

$41.06 ฿1,341

1.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.25 RON 87.1

$6.96 ฿227

176.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 RON 26.49

$5.92 ฿193

-1.18%

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

$436 RON 1,975

$299 ฿9,766

45.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,860 RON 31.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-54.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 RON 321

$54.7 ฿1,787

29.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.97 RON 72.3

$26.77 ฿874

-40.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 RON 331

$85.0 ฿2,776

-14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.9 RON 289

$70.6 ฿2,306

-9.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 RON 1,054

$428 ฿14.0K

-45.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 RON 927

$237 ฿7,752

-13.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 RON 1,840

$801 ฿26.2K

-49.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 RON 1,579

$515 ฿16.8K

-32.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,369 RON 28.8K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

222.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,131 RON 18.7K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

180.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,066 RON 4,825

$617 ฿20.2K

72.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

30.00%

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

Last update for Deva: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $233 in Deva versus $428 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 73% higher in Deva, 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 $23.00 in Deva versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Deva vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Deva 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

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

Deva costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,326 per month in Deva and $1,300 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 $436 per month in Deva and $299 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 24% cheaper in Deva – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $884 in Deva and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $884 in Deva. 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, Deva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.