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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $921 per month in Foca vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,387 per month in Foca vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,853 per month in Foca vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Foca costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Foca and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Foca 31% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 BAM 11.96

$1.96 ฿65.8

256.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.76 BAM 28.70

$18.35 ฿617

-8.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 BAM 15.37

$7.48 ฿252

19.92%

Cappuccino

$1.57 BAM 2.70

$2.02 ฿67.8

-22.28%

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

$0.98 BAM 1.68

$0.85 ฿28.50

15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 BAM 0.97

$0.36 ฿11.96

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 BAM 3.44

$2.14 ฿71.8

-6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 BAM 4.77

$3.59 ฿121

-22.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 BAM 2.05

$1.65 ฿55.5

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.57 ฿52.7

-24.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 BAM 2.69

$1.19 ฿40.02

31.93%

Eggs

$2.96 BAM 5.06

$1.94 ฿65.1

52.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 BAM 16.44

$16.19 ฿544

-40.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 BAM 8.97

$2.99 ฿101

75.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 BAM 20.42

$10.94 ฿368

8.96%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 BAM 1.43

$2.71 ฿91.2

-69.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 BAM 2.83

$1.17 ฿39.25

41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.69 ฿56.7

10.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.34

$1.60 ฿54.0

21.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.38 ฿46.54

-13.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BAM 2.24

$1.20 ฿40.45

9.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.09

$0.67 ฿22.50

82.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.31

$0.56 ฿18.73

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.68 BAM 6.30

$4.64 ฿156

-20.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.47 BAM 14.51

$17.62 ฿593

-51.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BAM 1.19

$1.86 ฿62.5

-62.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.85

$3.30 ฿111

-67.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 BAM 3.16

$0.88 ฿29.68

110.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.83 BAM 61.4

$19.34 ฿650

85.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 BAM 2.54

$1.36 ฿45.90

8.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 BAM 0.90

$1.34 ฿44.98

-61.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 BAM 15.52

$8.21 ฿276

10.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.60

$1.22 ฿41.18

24.59%

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

$28.3K BAM 48.4K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

32.37%

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

$27.0K BAM 46.2K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

19.70%

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

$169 BAM 289

$70.7 ฿2,376

138.91%

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

$19.25 BAM 32.98

$14.04 ฿472

37.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.25 BAM 39.82

$17.49 ฿588

32.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.29 BAM 50.2

$42.15 ฿1,417

-30.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.84 BAM 18.56

$6.88 ฿231

57.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 BAM 7.87

$5.92 ฿199

-22.47%

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

$237 BAM 405

$309 ฿10.4K

-23.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,714 BAM 6,360

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-75.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 BAM 129

$55.8 ฿1,875

35.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.18 BAM 63.7

$26.11 ฿878

42.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 BAM 119

$83.0 ฿2,792

-16.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 BAM 208

$70.5 ฿2,369

72.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 BAM 269

$432 ฿14.5K

-63.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 BAM 295

$239 ฿8,035

-27.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 BAM 617

$822 ฿27.7K

-56.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 BAM 547

$512 ฿17.2K

-37.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,544 BAM 4,358

$1,915 ฿64.4K

32.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,760 BAM 3,014

$1,467 ฿49.3K

19.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

0.40%

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

Last update for Foca: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $157 in Foca versus $432 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 $17.00 in Foca versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $243 – making Foca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Foca costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,382 per month in Foca and $1,292 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 $237 per month in Foca and $309 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 18% cheaper in Foca – 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 $921 in Foca and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $921 in Foca. 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, Foca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.