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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,186 per month in Dunafรถldvรกr vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,832 per month in Dunafรถldvรกr vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,478 per month in Dunafรถldvรกr vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Dunafรถldvรกr and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median โ€“ Dunafรถldvรกr 12% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.47 Ftย 3,470
$1.98 เธฟ64.3
479.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.20 Ftย 14.6K
$18.80 เธฟ612
156.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.83 Ftย 2,370
$7.75 เธฟ252
1.03%
Cappuccino
$2.49 Ftย 753
$1.92 เธฟ62.5
29.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 Ftย 432
$0.79 เธฟ25.79
81.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 Ftย 280
$0.36 เธฟ11.62
158.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.60 Ftย 787
$2.21 เธฟ72.1
17.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 Ftย 799
$3.66 เธฟ119
-27.87%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 Ftย 338
$1.65 เธฟ53.8
-32.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.48 Ftย 447
$1.63 เธฟ53.2
-9.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.80 Ftย 543
$1.19 เธฟ38.86
51.26%
Eggs
$2.95 Ftย 893
$2.00 เธฟ65.1
47.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.43 Ftย 2,853
$15.98 เธฟ520
-40.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.89 Ftย 1,781
$3.03 เธฟ98.5
94.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.97 Ftย 3,319
$10.86 เธฟ354
1.01%
Apples (1kg)
$2.24 Ftย 677
$2.76 เธฟ90.0
-18.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 Ftย 593
$1.18 เธฟ38.42
66.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.02 Ftย 611
$1.64 เธฟ53.5
23.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 Ftย 1,268
$1.52 เธฟ49.51
175.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.40 Ftย 424
$1.38 เธฟ45.10
1.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 Ftย 386
$1.19 เธฟ38.84
6.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.49 Ftย 451
$0.70 เธฟ22.86
112.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 Ftย 148
$0.56 เธฟ18.13
-12.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.51 Ftย 2,273
$4.58 เธฟ149
63.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.45 Ftย 1,951
$16.56 เธฟ539
-61.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 Ftย 332
$1.83 เธฟ59.5
-39.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 Ftย 358
$3.20 เธฟ104
-63.13%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 Ftย 340
$0.88 เธฟ28.56
27.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.21 Ftย 7,628
$18.72 เธฟ610
34.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.95 Ftย 894
$1.36 เธฟ44.16
116.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.15 Ftย 347
$1.34 เธฟ43.65
-14.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.10 Ftย 5,173
$7.84 เธฟ256
118.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 Ftย 535
$1.23 เธฟ39.92
43.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1K Ftย 9.4M
$21.6K เธฟ704.3K
44.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K Ftย 11.1M
$22.5K เธฟ734.3K
62.30%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 Ftย 44.1K
$70.5 เธฟ2,298
106.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.24 Ftย 9,148
$13.68 เธฟ445
121.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.98 Ftย 7,556
$17.45 เธฟ568
43.15%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.36 Ftย 14.0K
$41.33 เธฟ1,346
12.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.62 Ftย 5,027
$6.96 เธฟ227
138.79%
Cinema Ticket
$8.12 Ftย 2,458
$5.77 เธฟ188
40.73%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$468 Ftย 141.6K
$307 เธฟ10.0K
52.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,638 Ftย 2.0M
$14.6K เธฟ475.9K
-54.57%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.6 Ftย 27.4K
$55.8 เธฟ1,817
62.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.12 Ftย 7,903
$26.21 เธฟ854
-0.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.9 Ftย 28.4K
$85.8 เธฟ2,793
9.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 Ftย 31.6K
$72.2 เธฟ2,353
44.77%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$451 Ftย 136.4K
$430 เธฟ14.0K
4.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$340 Ftย 103.0K
$239 เธฟ7,774
42.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$623 Ftย 188.4K
$817 เธฟ26.6K
-23.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$529 Ftย 160.2K
$511 เธฟ16.6K
3.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,238 Ftย 979.5K
$1,983 เธฟ64.6K
63.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,438 Ftย 737.7K
$1,484 เธฟ48.3K
64.31%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$619 เธฟ20.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8
5
60.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dunafรถldvรกr: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Dunafรถldvรกr versus $430 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Dunafรถldvรกr versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story โ€“ $227 in Dunafรถldvรกr vs $241 in Chiang Mai โ€“ so Dunafรถldvรกr 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
Dunafรถldvรกr vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dunafรถldvรกr or Chiang Mai?
Dunafรถldvรกr 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Dunafรถldvรกr vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,779 per month in Dunafรถldvรกr and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Dunafรถldvรกr 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 childcare costs compare in Dunafรถldvรกr and Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $468 per month in Dunafรถldvรกr and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Dunafรถldvรกr or Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Dunafรถldvรกr โ€“ 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 Dunafรถldvรกr or Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Dunafรถldvรกr at $1,186. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dunafรถldvรกr it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Dunafรถldvรกr or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,186 in Dunafรถldvรกr. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Dunafรถldvรกr 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 โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Dunafรถldvรกr or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dunafรถldvรกr makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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