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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $762 per month in Dura vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,285 per month in Dura vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,808 per month in Dura vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dura is about 12% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dura and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dura 43% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 ₪42.14

$1.96 ฿65.9

607.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₪174

$18.35 ฿617

211.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.31 ₪34.34

$7.48 ฿252

51.20%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ₪5.90

$2.02 ฿67.8

-3.96%

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

$0.79 ₪2.39

$0.85 ฿28.52

-7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₪1.84

$0.36 ฿11.97

69.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 ₪16.61

$2.14 ฿71.9

155.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 ₪16.76

$3.59 ฿121

53.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₪6.60

$1.65 ฿55.5

31.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₪3.37

$1.57 ฿52.7

-29.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₪7.78

$1.19 ฿40.05

115.13%

Eggs

$3.98 ₪12.08

$1.94 ฿65.1

105.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 ₪23.10

$16.19 ฿545

-53.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 ₪26.26

$2.99 ฿101

189.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 ₪54.8

$10.94 ฿368

64.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ₪7.81

$2.71 ฿91.2

-5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₪5.83

$1.17 ฿39.27

64.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ₪6.05

$1.69 ฿56.8

17.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ₪6.02

$1.60 ฿54.0

23.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ₪3.20

$1.38 ฿46.56

-23.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ₪4.24

$1.20 ฿40.47

15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₪4.21

$0.67 ฿22.51

107.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₪2.66

$0.56 ฿18.74

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.34 ₪25.34

$4.64 ฿156

79.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₪8.46

$1.86 ฿62.6

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₪7.70

$3.30 ฿111

-23.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ₪8.46

$1.36 ฿45.92

105.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ₪42.23

$8.21 ฿276

69.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 ₪6.66

$1.22 ฿41.20

79.51%

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

$39.2K ₪119.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

83.60%

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

$47.4K ₪144.0K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

110.37%

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

$84.9 ₪258

$70.7 ฿2,378

20.14%

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

$18.94 ₪57.5

$14.04 ฿472

34.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.71 ₪139

$17.49 ฿589

161.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$9.42 ₪28.60

$5.92 ฿199

59.12%

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

$218 ₪661

$309 ฿10.4K

-29.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,911 ₪11.9K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-73.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 ₪190

$55.8 ฿1,876

12.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.03 ₪116

$26.11 ฿879

45.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 ₪287

$83.0 ฿2,793

13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 ₪217

$70.5 ฿2,371

1.43%

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 %)

5.62

12.40%

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

Last update for Dura: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Dura versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $243 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Dura, 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 $1,142 per month in Dura 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 $57.0 in Dura and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $762 in Dura and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dura costs $762 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 Dura. 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.