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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,254 per month in Dilijan vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Dilijan vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,762 per month in Dilijan vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dilijan costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dilijan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dilijan 9% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dilijan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.79 ֏3,916
$2.10 ฿69.3
413.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.31 ֏15.0K
$19.84 ฿656
108.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.02 ֏3,635
$5.79 ฿191
73.06%
Cappuccino
$2.73 ֏989
$1.83 ฿60.4
49.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 ֏425
$0.78 ฿25.61
50.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 ֏227
$0.31 ฿10.37
100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.14 ֏776
$2.34 ฿77.2
-8.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ֏981
$3.70 ฿122
-27.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dilijan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 ֏572
$2.03 ฿67.1
-22.17%
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 ֏359
$1.60 ฿52.7
-38.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.09 ֏759
$1.42 ฿46.75
47.18%
Eggs
$2.83 ֏1,028
$2.18 ฿71.9
29.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.27 ֏3,001
$15.91 ฿526
-48.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.34 ֏2,664
$3.07 ฿102
139.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.11 ֏5,117
$9.87 ฿326
42.96%
Apples (1kg)
$1.41 ֏510
$2.63 ฿86.8
-46.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ֏584
$1.10 ฿36.19
46.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 ֏738
$1.63 ฿53.8
24.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.40 ֏872
$1.53 ฿50.6
56.86%
Potato (1kg)
$0.67 ֏244
$1.24 ฿41.13
-45.97%
Onion (1kg)
$0.69 ֏251
$1.13 ฿37.37
-38.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 ֏331
$0.74 ฿24.38
22.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 ֏288
$0.50 ฿16.48
58.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.81 ֏1,018
$4.28 ฿141
-34.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.79 ֏3,914
$17.97 ฿594
-39.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 ֏531
$1.70 ฿56.1
-14.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 ֏747
$2.90 ฿95.7
-28.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Dilijan
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ֏93.8
$0.94 ฿31.13
-72.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$55.3 ฿1,827
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ֏489
$1.23 ฿40.76
9.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 ֏142
$0.53 ฿17.66
-26.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.18 ֏4,782
$2.40 ฿79.3
449.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ֏540
$1.44 ฿47.55
3.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K ֏12.9M
$21.2K ฿700.2K
67.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K ֏11.9M
$27.3K ฿902.1K
20.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dilijan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ֏44.2K
$64.9 ฿2,145
87.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.97 ֏2,892
$13.35 ฿441
-40.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.90 ֏7,946
$20.83 ฿688
5.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dilijan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$95.4 ֏34.6K
$40.42 ฿1,336
136.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.95 ฿131
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.77 ֏1,006
$6.71 ฿222
-58.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dilijan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$164 ֏59.6K
$787 ฿26.0K
-79.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,884 ֏3.6M
$15.1K ฿499.6K
-34.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dilijan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.8 ֏35.5K
$56.2 ฿1,858
73.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.2 ֏20.0K
$24.95 ฿824
121.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 ֏50.0K
$92.7 ฿3,063
48.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$152 ֏55.3K
$75.1 ฿2,482
102.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dilijan
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$578 ֏209.6K
$484 ฿16.0K
19.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 ֏137.3K
$287 ฿9,491
31.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,017 ֏368.8K
$910 ฿30.1K
11.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$877 ֏318.2K
$531 ฿17.5K
65.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,980 ฿65.4K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,451 ฿47.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dilijan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$689 ֏249.8K
$605 ฿20.0K
13.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.8
5.57
147.76%

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

Last update for Dilijan: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $578 in Dilijan versus $484 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 14% higher in Dilijan, 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 $41.00 in Dilijan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Dilijan vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Dilijan 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
Dilijan vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dilijan or Chiang Mai?
Dilijan costs about 32% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Dilijan and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,881 per month in Dilijan and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Dilijan or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Dilijan and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Dilijan and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Dilijan or in Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Dilijan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Dilijan or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Dilijan at $1,254. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dilijan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Dilijan or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,254 in Dilijan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Dilijan compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Dilijan or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dilijan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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