๐A single person spends $1,186 per month in Dunafรถldvรกr vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $1,832 per month in Dunafรถldvรกr vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $2,478 per month in Dunafรถldvรกr vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
๐Dunafรถldvรกr costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both Dunafรถldvรกr and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median โ Dunafรถldvรกr12% lower, Chiang Mai35% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.47Ftย 3,470
$1.98เธฟ64.3
479.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.20Ftย 14.6K
$18.80เธฟ612
156.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.83Ftย 2,370
$7.75เธฟ252
1.03%
Cappuccino
$2.49Ftย 753
$1.92เธฟ62.5
29.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43Ftย 432
$0.79เธฟ25.79
81.01%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93Ftย 280
$0.36เธฟ11.62
158.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.60Ftย 787
$2.21เธฟ72.1
17.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64Ftย 799
$3.66เธฟ119
-27.87%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.12Ftย 338
$1.65เธฟ53.8
-32.12%
White Bread(500g)
$1.48Ftย 447
$1.63เธฟ53.2
-9.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.80Ftย 543
$1.19เธฟ38.86
51.26%
Eggs
$2.95Ftย 893
$2.00เธฟ65.1
47.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.43Ftย 2,853
$15.98เธฟ520
-40.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.89Ftย 1,781
$3.03เธฟ98.5
94.39%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.97Ftย 3,319
$10.86เธฟ354
1.01%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24Ftย 677
$2.76เธฟ90.0
-18.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.96Ftย 593
$1.18เธฟ38.42
66.10%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.02Ftย 611
$1.64เธฟ53.5
23.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.19Ftย 1,268
$1.52เธฟ49.51
175.66%
Potato(1kg)
$1.40Ftย 424
$1.38เธฟ45.10
1.45%
Onion(1kg)
$1.27Ftย 386
$1.19เธฟ38.84
6.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.49Ftย 451
$0.70เธฟ22.86
112.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49Ftย 148
$0.56เธฟ18.13
-12.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.51Ftย 2,273
$4.58เธฟ149
63.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.45Ftย 1,951
$16.56เธฟ539
-61.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10Ftย 332
$1.83เธฟ59.5
-39.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18Ftย 358
$3.20เธฟ104
-63.13%
๐ Getting Around
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.12Ftย 340
$0.88เธฟ28.56
27.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$25.21Ftย 7,628
$18.72เธฟ610
34.67%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.95Ftย 894
$1.36เธฟ44.16
116.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.15Ftย 347
$1.34เธฟ43.65
-14.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.10Ftย 5,173
$7.84เธฟ256
118.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.77Ftย 535
$1.23เธฟ39.92
43.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1KFtย 9.4M
$21.6Kเธฟ704.3K
44.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6KFtย 11.1M
$22.5Kเธฟ734.3K
62.30%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$146Ftย 44.1K
$70.5เธฟ2,298
106.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.24Ftย 9,148
$13.68เธฟ445
121.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.98Ftย 7,556
$17.45เธฟ568
43.15%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.36Ftย 14.0K
$41.33เธฟ1,346
12.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.62Ftย 5,027
$6.96เธฟ227
138.79%
Cinema Ticket
$8.12Ftย 2,458
$5.77เธฟ188
40.73%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$468Ftย 141.6K
$307เธฟ10.0K
52.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,638Ftย 2.0M
$14.6Kเธฟ475.9K
-54.57%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.6Ftย 27.4K
$55.8เธฟ1,817
62.47%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.12Ftย 7,903
$26.21เธฟ854
-0.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.9Ftย 28.4K
$85.8เธฟ2,793
9.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105Ftย 31.6K
$72.2เธฟ2,353
44.77%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$451Ftย 136.4K
$430เธฟ14.0K
4.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$340Ftย 103.0K
$239เธฟ7,774
42.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$623Ftย 188.4K
$817เธฟ26.6K
-23.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$529Ftย 160.2K
$511เธฟ16.6K
3.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,238Ftย 979.5K
$1,983เธฟ64.6K
63.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,438Ftย 737.7K
$1,484เธฟ48.3K
64.31%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Dunafรถldvรกr
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$619เธฟ20.2K
-
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
๐ 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.
๐A 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.
Dunafรถldvรกr vs other spots: cost of living compared