Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fiji and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Fiji: $693 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Fiji
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Fiji Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Fiji

🇫🇯 Fiji

$693

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $693 per month in Fiji vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fiji $693
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1,145 per month in Fiji vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fiji $1,145
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,597 per month in Fiji vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fiji $1,597
Chiang Mai $1,979

Fiji is about 26% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Fiji and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Fiji 49% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 FJD 9.63

$2.24 ฿75.7

92.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.72 FJD 73.0

$19.00 ฿642

72.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 FJD 14.29

$5.55 ฿188

15.50%

Cappuccino

$2.39 FJD 5.34

$1.67 ฿56.6

43.11%

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

$1.34 FJD 2.99

$0.64 ฿21.56

109.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 FJD 2.30

$0.31 ฿10.32

232.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 FJD 9.17

$2.36 ฿79.6

74.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 FJD 8.68

$3.66 ฿124

6.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 FJD 2.70

$1.95 ฿65.8

-37.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 FJD 0.56

$1.44 ฿48.51

-82.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 FJD 2.04

$1.33 ฿45.07

-31.58%

Eggs

$3.13 FJD 6.98

$2.28 ฿77.1

37.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 FJD 23.42

$16.45 ฿556

-36.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 FJD 11.98

$2.78 ฿94.0

93.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 FJD 3.00

$2.35 ฿79.5

-42.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 FJD 2.02

$0.97 ฿32.82

-6.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 FJD 4.05

$1.60 ฿53.9

13.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 FJD 3.05

$1.50 ฿50.7

-8.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 FJD 1.55

$1.28 ฿43.15

-45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 FJD 1.64

$1.10 ฿37.22

-32.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.05

$0.71 ฿23.84

29.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 FJD 1.23

$0.49 ฿16.38

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 FJD 24.43

$4.14 ฿140

164.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.04 FJD 13.48

$17.52 ฿592

-65.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.05 FJD 9.04

$1.61 ฿54.5

151.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 FJD 8.72

$2.78 ฿94.0

40.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 FJD 1.92

$0.87 ฿29.33

-1.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 FJD 2.54

$1.16 ฿39.08

-1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 FJD 2.83

$1.45 ฿48.93

-12.41%

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

$44.8K FJD 100.0K

$21.1K ฿711.2K

112.84%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$52.4 FJD 117

$62.2 ฿2,100

-15.71%

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

$13.11 FJD 29.24

$12.17 ฿411

7.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.07 FJD 40.31

$20.12 ฿680

-10.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.50 FJD 50.2

$37.31 ฿1,260

-39.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.33 FJD 9.65

$3.77 ฿127

14.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.08 FJD 9.11

$6.49 ฿219

-37.13%

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

$44.81 FJD 100.0

$736 ฿24.9K

-93.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.03 FJD 42.44

$53.4 ฿1,802

-64.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.91 FJD 66.7

$91.5 ฿3,089

-67.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 FJD 1,510

$482 ฿16.3K

40.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 FJD 586

$309 ฿10.4K

-15.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 FJD 2,518

$1,006 ฿34.0K

12.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 FJD 1,361

$633 ฿21.4K

-3.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,281 FJD 2,857

$2,363 ฿79.8K

-45.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,289 FJD 2,876

$1,589 ฿53.7K

-18.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$533 FJD 1,188

$590 ฿19.9K

-9.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.72%

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

Last update for Fiji: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fiji

$263 37.9%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 17.7% $46

Groceries & Markets

Fiji

$169 * 24.5%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 38.3% $65

Eating Out

Fiji

$120 17.4%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 35.5% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fiji

$84 12.1%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 13% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Fiji

$31 4.4%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 64% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Fiji

$22 * 3.2%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 393% $87

Getting Around

Fiji

$4.6 * 0.7%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 1240% $57

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $677 in Fiji versus $482 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 11% 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 $33 in Fiji versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Fiji vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Fiji wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇫🇯 Fiji

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

01:07 1:07 AM

20:07 8:07 PM

5 h behind Fiji

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

92,043

127,240

💱 Currency

Fijian Dollar FJD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 FJD = 0.448 USD

1 FJD = 0.403 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to FJD – Fijian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇫🇯 Fijian Dollar ($)

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2.23 FJD (1 FJD = 0.448 USD). 1 EUR = 2.48 FJD (1 FJD = 0.403 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to FJD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Fiji Chiang Mai 9,600 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Fiji
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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Fiji, 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 $1,040 per month in Fiji and $1,403 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $677 in Fiji.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Fiji and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $693 in Fiji to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Fiji. 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.