Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Exmouth and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,489 in Exmouth, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Exmouth, Australia
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Exmouth
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,489
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Exmouth 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 Exmouth and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,489 per month in Exmouth vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Exmouth $2,489
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $3,584 per month in Exmouth vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Exmouth $3,584
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $4,678 per month in Exmouth vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Exmouth $4,678
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Exmouth costs about 169% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Exmouth sits 84% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Exmouth
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 A$24.98
$2.29 ฿77.2
667.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.5 A$120
$19.64 ฿663
330.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.55 A$14.99
$5.61 ฿189
88.06%
Cappuccino
$3.86 A$5.49
$1.66 ฿56.1
132.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 A$4.10
$0.70 ฿23.62
312.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 A$3.26
$0.31 ฿10.33
641.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.46 A$10.61
$2.41 ฿81.2
209.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.64 A$10.85
$3.71 ฿125
105.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Exmouth
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 A$2.25
$1.95 ฿65.9
-18.97%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 A$3.76
$1.41 ฿47.48
87.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 A$3.13
$1.31 ฿44.04
67.94%
Eggs
$4.75 A$6.75
$2.18 ฿73.6
117.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.34 A$13.27
$16.65 ฿562
-43.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.08 A$12.90
$2.76 ฿93.1
228.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.90 A$21.17
$9.11 ฿307
63.56%
Apples (1kg)
$3.78 A$5.37
$2.39 ฿80.7
58.16%
Banana (1kg)
$2.97 A$4.22
$1.03 ฿34.59
188.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.20 A$4.54
$1.63 ฿54.9
96.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.61 A$6.55
$1.50 ฿50.5
207.33%
Potato (1kg)
$2.68 A$3.81
$1.29 ฿43.54
107.75%
Onion (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.29
$1.11 ฿37.38
109.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 A$3.32
$0.72 ฿24.31
225.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 A$2.19
$0.53 ฿17.76
190.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$41.38 A$58.8
$4.31 ฿145
860.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.76 A$19.55
$17.95 ฿605
-23.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.62 A$6.56
$1.58 ฿53.4
192.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.14 A$7.31
$2.84 ฿95.9
80.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Exmouth
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.79 A$3.97
$0.86 ฿29.14
224.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$80.6 A$114
$53.3 ฿1,798
51.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.45 A$4.90
$1.21 ฿40.67
185.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 A$2.20
$0.57 ฿19.17
171.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.53 A$56.2
$2.35 ฿79.4
1582.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 A$1.84
$1.44 ฿48.42
-9.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.5K A$37.7K
$20.7K ฿699.4K
27.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.9K A$42.5K
$26.8K ฿904.2K
11.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Exmouth
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$204 A$290
$62.3 ฿2,103
227.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.80 A$39.50
$12.11 ฿409
129.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.8 A$79.3
$19.94 ฿673
179.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Exmouth
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.5 A$80.2
$37.07 ฿1,251
52.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.56 A$24.95
$3.78 ฿127
364.55%
Cinema Ticket
$14.56 A$20.69
$6.50 ฿219
124.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Exmouth
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,165 A$3,077
$793 ฿26.7K
173.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.1K A$28.6K
$14.8K ฿499.6K
35.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Exmouth
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.9 A$108
$53.7 ฿1,813
41.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.7 A$76.3
$24.62 ฿831
118.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 A$151
$90.9 ฿3,065
17.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 A$173
$71.1 ฿2,400
71.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Exmouth
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,411 A$2,006
$455 ฿15.4K
209.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 A$1,701
$298 ฿10.0K
302.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,161 A$3,070
$908 ฿30.6K
137.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,776 A$2,523
$554 ฿18.7K
220.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,789 A$8,226
$1,931 ฿65.1K
199.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,878 A$6,932
$1,445 ฿48.7K
237.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Exmouth
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$591 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.84
5.57
4.85%

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

Last update for Exmouth: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Exmouth
$1.2K
Chiang Mai
$298 75.1% $900
Groceries & Markets
Exmouth
$362
Chiang Mai
$235 35% $127
Eating Out
Exmouth
$292
Chiang Mai
$79 73.1% $213
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Exmouth
$288
Chiang Mai
$94 67.2% $194
Clothing & Footwear
Exmouth
$161
Chiang Mai
$108 32.9% $53
Getting Around
Exmouth
$103
Chiang Mai
$61 41% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Exmouth
$86
Chiang Mai
$50 41.5% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,411 in Exmouth versus $455 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Exmouth versus $20 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Exmouth
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
04:46 4:46 AM
03:46 3:46 AM
1 h behind Exmouth
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,500
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.628 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.8 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Exmouth Chiang Mai 4,820 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Exmouth
  • 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
Exmouth vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Exmouth or Chiang Mai?
Exmouth costs about 169% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 Exmouth and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,734 per month in Exmouth and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Exmouth or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $455 there versus $1,411 in Exmouth.
How do childcare costs compare in Exmouth and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $2,165 per month in Exmouth and $793 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 Exmouth or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 54% more in Exmouth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $800/month in Exmouth or in Chiang Mai?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,489 in Exmouth and $925 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Exmouth 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 – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 169% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Exmouth vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?