Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,052 per month in East London vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in East London vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,092 per month in East London vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

East London costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both East London and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – East London 22% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 R 110

$1.98 ฿64.3

242.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.73 R 497

$18.80 ฿612

63.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 R 71.9

$7.75 ฿252

-42.58%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 32.73

$1.92 ฿62.5

5.21%

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

$0.99 R 16.00

$0.79 ฿25.79

25.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.23

$0.36 ฿11.62

127.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 41.32

$2.21 ฿72.1

15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 R 50.6

$3.66 ฿119

-14.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R 17.13

$1.65 ฿53.8

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 R 14.55

$1.63 ฿53.2

-44.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 R 32.85

$1.19 ฿38.86

70.59%

Eggs

$2.06 R 33.29

$2.00 ฿65.1

3.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 R 151

$15.98 ฿520

-41.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 R 67.0

$3.03 ฿98.5

36.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 R 120

$10.86 ฿354

-31.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.50

$2.76 ฿90.0

-44.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.47

$1.18 ฿38.42

80.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.19

$1.64 ฿53.5

-12.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.66

$1.52 ฿49.51

-3.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.32

$1.38 ฿45.10

13.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.78

$1.19 ฿38.84

23.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 16.97

$0.70 ฿22.86

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 14.88

$0.56 ฿18.13

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 R 42.36

$4.58 ฿149

-42.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.92 R 79.6

$16.56 ฿539

-70.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 27.71

$1.83 ฿59.5

-6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 40.93

$3.20 ฿104

-20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 R 11.82

$0.88 ฿28.56

-17.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.78 R 352

$18.72 ฿610

16.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.29

$1.36 ฿44.16

-16.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.50

$1.34 ฿43.65

-28.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 R 66.9

$7.84 ฿256

-47.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R 19.62

$1.23 ฿39.92

-1.63%

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

$37.0K R 598.3K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

71.16%

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

$22.2K R 359.6K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-1.35%

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

$196 R 3,172

$70.5 ฿2,298

178.18%

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

$30.20 R 488

$13.68 ฿445

120.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.54 R 720

$17.45 ฿568

155.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.44 R 541

$41.33 ฿1,346

-19.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.43 R 23.05

$6.96 ฿227

-79.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 R 58.2

$5.77 ฿188

-37.61%

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

$121 R 1,948

$307 ฿10.0K

-60.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,276 R 69.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-70.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 R 838

$55.8 ฿1,817

-7.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.73 R 464

$26.21 ฿854

9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 R 1,724

$85.8 ฿2,793

24.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.4 R 1,380

$72.2 ฿2,353

18.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 R 4,337

$430 ฿14.0K

-37.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 R 4,845

$239 ฿7,774

25.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 R 8,161

$817 ฿26.6K

-38.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 R 8,912

$511 ฿16.6K

7.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,645 R 26.6K

$619 ฿20.2K

165.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

120.00%

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

Last update for East London: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in East London 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.

Salaries run about 166% higher in East London, 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 $31.00 in East London versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $187 in East London vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so East London 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

East London vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

East London costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,578 per month in East London and $1,303 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 $121 per month in East London and $307 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 29% cheaper in East London – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,052 in East London and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,052 in East London. 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, East London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.