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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $521 per month in Duma vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $821 per month in Duma vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,122 per month in Duma vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Duma is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Duma and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Duma 61% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.90 SYP 717

$1.96 ฿65.9

201.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.28 SYP 3,315

$18.35 ฿617

48.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 SYP 648

$7.48 ฿252

-28.61%

Cappuccino

$1.57 SYP 190

$2.02 ฿67.8

-22.28%

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

$1.17 SYP 142

$0.85 ฿28.52

37.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 SYP 88.8

$0.36 ฿11.97

102.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SYP 200

$2.14 ฿71.9

-22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SYP 307

$3.59 ฿121

-29.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.65 ฿55.5

-40.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 71.7

$1.57 ฿52.7

-62.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 SYP 212

$1.19 ฿40.05

47.06%

Eggs

$1.92 SYP 233

$1.94 ฿65.1

-1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.14 SYP 382

$16.19 ฿545

-80.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 SYP 946

$2.99 ฿101

160.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.49 SYP 1,396

$10.94 ฿368

5.03%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 SYP 104

$2.71 ฿91.2

-68.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SYP 209

$1.17 ฿39.27

47.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 SYP 126

$1.69 ฿56.8

-38.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 SYP 116

$1.60 ฿54.0

-40.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 SYP 74.5

$1.38 ฿46.56

-55.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 80.5

$1.20 ฿40.47

-45.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 49.11

$0.67 ฿22.51

-40.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SYP 75.1

$0.56 ฿18.74

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 SYP 374

$4.64 ฿156

-33.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 SYP 988

$17.62 ฿593

-53.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.86 ฿62.6

-47.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SYP 225

$3.30 ฿111

-43.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 SYP 120

$1.36 ฿45.92

-27.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SYP 149

$1.34 ฿45.00

-8.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 SYP 805

$8.21 ฿276

-19.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.77 SYP 458

$1.22 ฿41.20

209.02%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-12.72%

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

$21.1K SYP 2.6M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-6.28%

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

$103 SYP 12.5K

$70.7 ฿2,378

45.10%

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

$8.58 SYP 1,043

$14.04 ฿472

-38.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 SYP 6,661

$17.49 ฿589

213.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 SYP 375

$5.92 ฿199

-47.80%

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

$42.91 SYP 5,215

$309 ฿10.4K

-86.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,824 SYP 221.7K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-87.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.66 SYP 3,605

$55.8 ฿1,876

-46.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 SYP 3,098

$26.11 ฿879

-2.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.19 SYP 5,370

$83.0 ฿2,793

-46.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 SYP 6,753

$70.5 ฿2,371

-21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

175.00%

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

Last update for Duma: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Duma versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $174 in Duma vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Duma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Duma, 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 $782 per month in Duma and $1,292 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 $27.00 in Duma and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $521 in Duma and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Duma costs $521 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. 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 Duma. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.