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 $1,076 per month in East London vs $872 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,570 per month in East London vs $1,337 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,064 per month in East London vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

East London costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both East London and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – East London 20% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 R 113

$2.01 ฿64.5

243.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.33 R 514

$18.23 ฿584

71.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 R 75.6

$7.65 ฿245

-39.74%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 33.20

$1.92 ฿61.5

5.21%

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

$0.99 R 16.18

$0.84 ฿26.97

17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.36

$0.36 ฿11.42

144.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 R 42.20

$2.19 ฿70.2

17.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 R 49.45

$3.79 ฿121

-20.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R 17.54

$1.64 ฿52.5

-34.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 R 14.77

$1.62 ฿52.0

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 R 32.16

$1.15 ฿36.98

70.43%

Eggs

$2.13 R 35.00

$1.94 ฿62.2

9.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 R 152

$15.94 ฿511

-41.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R 66.6

$3.10 ฿99.5

30.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.35 R 121

$11.07 ฿355

-33.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.84

$2.71 ฿86.8

-41.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 R 35.30

$1.18 ฿37.80

82.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.76

$1.71 ฿54.7

-18.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.32

$1.61 ฿51.5

-8.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.37

$1.39 ฿44.66

7.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.32

$1.15 ฿36.81

23.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.38

$0.71 ฿22.83

49.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 15.10

$0.55 ฿17.65

67.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 R 42.98

$4.57 ฿146

-42.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 77.9

$18.87 ฿605

-74.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 R 28.81

$1.82 ฿58.4

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 41.46

$3.21 ฿103

-21.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 R 11.96

$0.88 ฿28.24

-17.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.51 R 353

$18.89 ฿606

13.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.94

$1.41 ฿45.30

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.35

$1.30 ฿41.71

-27.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 R 66.6

$8.20 ฿263

-50.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.93

$1.23 ฿39.29

4.07%

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

$35.7K R 585.8K

$21.2K ฿678.9K

68.68%

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

$21.9K R 358.8K

$22.3K ฿715.3K

-1.95%

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

$198 R 3,243

$69.9 ฿2,240

183.01%

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

$30.90 R 507

$14.07 ฿451

119.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.08 R 739

$17.70 ฿567

154.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.27 R 546

$41.41 ฿1,328

-19.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.42 R 23.33

$6.69 ฿215

-78.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.66 R 60.0

$5.74 ฿184

-36.24%

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

$119 R 1,957

$299 ฿9,593

-60.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,233 R 69.4K

$15.0K ฿481.2K

-71.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R 850

$54.8 ฿1,758

-5.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.88 R 474

$26.35 ฿845

9.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 R 1,725

$84.7 ฿2,714

24.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 R 1,396

$69.7 ฿2,236

22.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 R 4,432

$427 ฿13.7K

-36.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 R 4,867

$241 ฿7,718

23.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 R 8,351

$811 ฿26.0K

-37.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 R 8,922

$498 ฿16.0K

9.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,685 R 27.6K

$639 ฿20.5K

163.65%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in East London versus $427 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 164% 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 in East London versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $186 in East London vs $246 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 23% 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 $1,614 per month in East London and $1,308 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 $119 per month in East London and $299 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 32% 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 $1,076 in East London and $872 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $1,076 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.