Cost of Living Comparison Between Fiji and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Fiji and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $694 per month in Fiji vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,168 per month in Fiji vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,642 per month in Fiji vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fiji is about 20% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Fiji and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Fiji 48% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 FJD 9.99

$1.98 ฿64.3

127.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.97 FJD 97.3

$18.80 ฿612

133.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 FJD 17.06

$7.75 ฿252

-0.52%

Cappuccino

$2.26 FJD 5.00

$1.92 ฿62.5

17.71%

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

$1.39 FJD 3.07

$0.79 ฿25.79

75.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 FJD 2.63

$0.36 ฿11.62

230.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 FJD 6.42

$2.21 ฿72.1

31.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 FJD 7.57

$3.66 ฿119

-6.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 FJD 2.69

$1.65 ฿53.8

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 FJD 1.45

$1.63 ฿53.2

-60.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 FJD 3.52

$1.19 ฿38.86

33.61%

Eggs

$2.20 FJD 4.86

$2.00 ฿65.1

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 FJD 23.31

$15.98 ฿520

-34.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 FJD 8.25

$3.03 ฿98.5

23.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.15 FJD 4.75

$10.86 ฿354

-80.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 FJD 3.95

$2.76 ฿90.0

-35.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 FJD 3.34

$1.18 ฿38.42

27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 FJD 4.27

$1.64 ฿53.5

17.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 FJD 3.87

$1.52 ฿49.51

15.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 FJD 3.29

$1.38 ฿45.10

7.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 FJD 3.20

$1.19 ฿38.84

21.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 FJD 2.17

$0.70 ฿22.86

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 FJD 1.75

$0.56 ฿18.13

41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.20 FJD 24.78

$4.58 ฿149

144.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 FJD 13.83

$16.56 ฿539

-62.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 FJD 6.19

$1.83 ฿59.5

53.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 FJD 5.50

$3.20 ฿104

-22.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 FJD 2.05

$0.88 ฿28.56

5.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 FJD 2.41

$1.36 ฿44.16

-19.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 FJD 2.82

$1.23 ฿39.92

3.25%

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

$46.4K FJD 102.7K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

114.69%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

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

$53.9 FJD 119

$70.5 ฿2,298

-23.53%

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

$13.46 FJD 29.77

$13.68 ฿445

-1.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.15 FJD 40.16

$17.45 ฿568

4.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.82 FJD 48.28

$41.33 ฿1,346

-47.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.32 FJD 9.55

$6.96 ฿227

-37.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 FJD 8.83

$5.77 ฿188

-30.85%

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

$43.97 FJD 97.3

$307 ฿10.0K

-85.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.49 FJD 18.78

$55.8 ฿1,817

-84.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.46 FJD 65.2

$85.8 ฿2,793

-65.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 FJD 1,466

$430 ฿14.0K

54.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 FJD 603

$239 ฿7,774

14.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 FJD 2,440

$817 ฿26.6K

34.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$613 FJD 1,355

$511 ฿16.6K

19.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,287 FJD 2,847

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-35.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,318 FJD 2,916

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-11.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$533 FJD 1,178

$619 ฿20.2K

-13.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.00%

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

Last update for Fiji: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $663 in Fiji 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 16% 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 $44.00 in Fiji versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Fiji vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Fiji 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 25% more than Fiji, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,041 per month in Fiji 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 Fiji, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Fiji and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Fiji, where all-in costs run around $694, than in Chiang Mai at $869. In Fiji 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. Fiji costs $694 versus $869 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 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.