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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,203 per month in Drama vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,824 per month in Drama vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,445 per month in Drama vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Drama costs about 41% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Drama and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Drama 10% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.40 €11.44

$1.96 ฿63.6

583.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 €39.40

$18.81 ฿611

145.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 €7.87

$7.92 ฿258

16.29%

Cappuccino

$2.75 €2.35

$1.91 ฿62.2

43.98%

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

$1.62 €1.38

$0.84 ฿27.25

92.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.35 ฿11.44

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 €3.05

$2.21 ฿71.7

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 €3.84

$3.80 ฿124

18.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.64 ฿53.2

-7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 €1.33

$1.62 ฿52.8

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 €0.97

$1.18 ฿38.40

-3.39%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.43

$2.01 ฿65.4

99.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 €10.41

$15.89 ฿517

-23.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 €8.26

$3.01 ฿98.0

221.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.31 €11.37

$10.77 ฿350

23.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 €1.26

$2.61 ฿85.0

-43.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.22 ฿39.65

18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 €0.91

$1.70 ฿55.4

-37.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$1.58 ฿51.2

28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 €0.86

$1.32 ฿42.89

-23.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 €1.04

$1.17 ฿38.01

4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 €0.89

$0.67 ฿21.85

55.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 €0.42

$0.56 ฿18.21

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 €4.47

$4.53 ฿147

15.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.39 €4.61

$18.20 ฿592

-70.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.81

$1.83 ฿59.6

-48.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.77

$3.23 ฿105

-35.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 €1.35

$0.89 ฿28.83

77.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.82 €39.98

$19.38 ฿630

141.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 €6.31

$1.35 ฿43.95

447.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 €11.46

$8.25 ฿268

62.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.74

$1.27 ฿41.40

60.63%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

65.79%

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

$29.3K €25.0K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

30.33%

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

$176 €150

$70.2 ฿2,281

151.06%

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

$23.58 €20.13

$13.77 ฿448

71.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.73 €27.10

$17.60 ฿572

80.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.13 €32.56

$41.57 ฿1,352

-8.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.80 €22.03

$6.60 ฿215

290.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.28 €7.07

$5.78 ฿188

43.25%

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

$507 €433

$306 ฿9,953

65.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,486 €4,685

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-63.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 €97.1

$54.4 ฿1,768

109.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.24 €19.85

$26.14 ฿850

-11.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 €53.9

$84.5 ฿2,748

-25.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.6 €58.6

$69.4 ฿2,257

-1.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 €269

$424 ฿13.8K

-25.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 €258

$238 ฿7,743

27.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 €448

$825 ฿26.8K

-36.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 €362

$515 ฿16.7K

-17.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,556 €1,329

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-24.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €2,958

$1,523 ฿49.5K

127.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,221 €1,043

$635 ฿20.6K

92.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.34

-13.20%

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

Last update for Drama: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $315 in Drama versus $424 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 92% higher in Drama, 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 $46.00 in Drama versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Drama vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Drama 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

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

Drama costs about 41% 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 $1,805 per month in Drama and $1,278 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 $507 per month in Drama and $306 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 1% cheaper in Drama – 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 Drama at $1,203. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,203 in Drama. 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, Drama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.