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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,290 per month in Dorado vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,025 per month in Dorado vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,759 per month in Dorado vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dorado costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dorado and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dorado 6% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.54 $18.54

$2.10 ฿69.3

782.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$19.84 ฿656

326.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 $9.18

$5.79 ฿191

58.55%

Cappuccino

$3.59 $3.59

$1.83 ฿60.4

96.17%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$0.78 ฿25.61

139.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.31 ฿10.37

383.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.34 ฿77.2

26.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.70 ฿122

38.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.03 ฿67.1

10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.60 ฿52.7

133.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.42 ฿46.75

65.49%

Eggs

$6.79 $6.79

$2.18 ฿71.9

211.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$15.91 ฿526

-20.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$3.07 ฿102

214.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.36 $13.36

$9.87 ฿326

35.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.63 ฿86.8

87.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.10 ฿36.19

130.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$1.63 ฿53.8

195.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$1.53 ฿50.6

217.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.24 ฿41.13

207.26%

Onion (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.13 ฿37.37

259.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.40 $3.40

$0.74 ฿24.38

359.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.50 ฿16.48

220.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.10 $12.10

$4.28 ฿141

182.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 $15.41

$17.97 ฿594

-14.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.70 ฿56.1

83.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.90 ฿95.7

38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.23 ฿40.76

99.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.53 ฿17.66

177.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.31 $41.31

$2.40 ฿79.3

1621.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.44 ฿47.55

-25.00%

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

$40.4K $40.4K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

90.68%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

0.81%

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

$318 $318

$64.9 ฿2,145

389.82%

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

$28.22 $28.22

$13.35 ฿441

111.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$20.83 ฿688

233.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 $10.46

$6.71 ฿222

55.89%

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

$828 $828

$787 ฿26.0K

5.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,629 $6,629

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-56.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 $55.3

$56.2 ฿1,858

-1.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 $61.6

$24.95 ฿824

147.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$92.7 ฿3,063

15.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$75.1 ฿2,482

50.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.57

17.59%

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

Last update for Dorado: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Dorado versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Dorado costs about 36% 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 $1,936 per month in Dorado and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Dorado and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% more in Dorado, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Dorado at $1,290. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dorado it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,290 in Dorado. 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, Dorado makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.