Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Erdenet and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Erdenet: $374 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Erdenet
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Erdenet Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Erdenet

🇲🇳 Mongolia

$374

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Erdenet and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Erdenet and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $374 per month in Erdenet vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Erdenet $374
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $620 per month in Erdenet vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Erdenet $620
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $866 per month in Erdenet vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Erdenet $866
Chiang Mai $1,914

Erdenet is about 60% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Erdenet and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Erdenet 72% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.22 MNT 15.2K

$2.26 ฿75.4

86.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.23 MNT 101.5K

$19.18 ฿641

47.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 MNT 14.6K

$5.59 ฿187

-27.19%

Cappuccino

$2.18 MNT 7,823

$1.72 ฿57.6

26.74%

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

$0.61 MNT 2,180

$0.64 ฿21.54

-4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MNT 1,555

$0.33 ฿11.18

30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 MNT 5,901

$2.36 ฿78.7

-30.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MNT 6,144

$3.90 ฿130

-56.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 MNT 3,687

$2.05 ฿68.6

-49.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 MNT 3,226

$1.40 ฿46.70

-35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 MNT 9,880

$1.28 ฿42.89

114.84%

Eggs

$2.02 MNT 7,250

$2.25 ฿75.3

-10.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 MNT 24.5K

$16.94 ฿566

-59.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 MNT 24.8K

$2.74 ฿91.6

151.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.50 MNT 16.2K

$9.36 ฿313

-51.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 MNT 8,077

$2.40 ฿80.3

-6.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MNT 6,140

$1.01 ฿33.92

69.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MNT 6,107

$1.61 ฿53.9

5.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MNT 5,107

$1.52 ฿50.7

-6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 MNT 4,872

$1.28 ฿42.90

5.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MNT 2,873

$1.11 ฿37.22

-27.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MNT 4,863

$0.72 ฿24.09

87.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 MNT 3,428

$0.52 ฿17.54

82.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 MNT 10.1K

$4.33 ฿145

-35.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.62 MNT 20.2K

$17.73 ฿593

-68.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MNT 6,155

$1.63 ฿54.4

4.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 MNT 5,935

$2.85 ฿95.3

-42.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 MNT 570

$0.85 ฿28.31

-81.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.54 MNT 70.3K

$53.9 ฿1,801

-63.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 MNT 2,200

$1.17 ฿39.18

-47.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 MNT 1,563

$0.57 ฿19.00

-24.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MNT 2,736

$1.45 ฿48.32

-47.59%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

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

$59.4 MNT 213.4K

$62.3 ฿2,083

-4.76%

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

$2.76 MNT 9,938

$12.27 ฿410

-77.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.74 MNT 49.4K

$19.97 ฿668

-31.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

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

$278 MNT 998.0K

$797 ฿26.6K

-65.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,460 MNT 8.8M

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-83.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$219 MNT 785.9K

$595 ฿19.9K

-63.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Erdenet: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Erdenet

$188 50.2%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 26.8% $50

Eating Out

Erdenet

$88 23.5%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 10.1% $8.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Erdenet

$76 20.3%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 24.7% $19

Getting Around

Erdenet

$23 6.1%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 167% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Erdenet

- * 0%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Erdenet

- * 0%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Accommodation & Living

Erdenet

- * 0%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 172% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $28.00 in Erdenet versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Erdenet vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Erdenet wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇳 Erdenet

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

22:24 10:24 PM

21:24 9:24 PM

1 h behind Erdenet

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

86,866

127,240

💱 Currency

Mongolian Tögrög MNT ₮

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MNT = 2.78 USD

10,000 MNT = 2.47 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to MNT – Mongolian Tögrög Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇳 Mongolian Tögrög (₮)

Mongolian Tögrög exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,596 MNT (10,000 MNT = 2.78 USD). 1 EUR = 4,043 MNT (10,000 MNT = 2.47 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to MNT in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Erdenet Chiang Mai 3,390 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Erdenet
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 151% more than Erdenet, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $562 per month in Erdenet and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $278 per month in Erdenet and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Erdenet, where all-in costs run around $374, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Erdenet it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Erdenet costs $374 versus $938 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 Erdenet. 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.