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 $946 per month in Foca vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,406 per month in Foca vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Foca vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Foca costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Foca and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Foca 29% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 BAM 11.83

$1.94 ฿63.5

262.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.61 BAM 27.90

$18.64 ฿609

-10.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 BAM 14.89

$7.82 ฿255

13.30%

Cappuccino

$1.66 BAM 2.80

$1.95 ฿63.8

-14.87%

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

$1.02 BAM 1.72

$0.85 ฿27.77

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 BAM 0.93

$0.35 ฿11.58

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 BAM 3.49

$2.13 ฿69.6

-2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BAM 4.84

$3.73 ฿122

-22.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BAM 1.95

$1.71 ฿56.0

-32.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 BAM 1.96

$1.63 ฿53.2

-28.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.74

$1.14 ฿37.15

42.98%

Eggs

$3.03 BAM 5.08

$1.93 ฿63.1

56.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 BAM 15.76

$16.21 ฿530

-42.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 BAM 9.03

$3.12 ฿102

72.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 BAM 20.55

$10.90 ฿356

12.20%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 BAM 1.54

$2.75 ฿90.0

-66.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 BAM 2.66

$1.21 ฿39.52

31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.27

$1.62 ฿53.0

20.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.27

$1.59 ฿51.8

22.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 1.99

$1.40 ฿45.70

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$1.17 ฿38.17

6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$0.66 ฿21.60

84.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BAM 1.21

$0.53 ฿17.22

35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 BAM 6.24

$4.69 ฿153

-20.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 BAM 13.91

$18.66 ฿609

-55.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BAM 1.20

$1.80 ฿58.8

-60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 BAM 1.89

$3.23 ฿106

-65.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 BAM 2.94

$0.90 ฿29.26

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.84 BAM 58.5

$19.21 ฿628

81.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 BAM 2.45

$1.41 ฿45.91

3.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BAM 0.94

$1.29 ฿42.12

-56.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 BAM 15.26

$7.84 ฿256

15.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BAM 2.59

$1.27 ฿41.58

21.26%

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

$29.1K BAM 48.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

36.56%

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

$27.1K BAM 45.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

22.23%

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

$174 BAM 292

$69.1 ฿2,256

151.70%

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

$18.69 BAM 31.41

$14.08 ฿460

32.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.44 BAM 39.39

$18.00 ฿588

30.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.75 BAM 49.98

$41.06 ฿1,341

-27.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.01 BAM 18.49

$6.96 ฿227

58.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.69 BAM 7.88

$5.92 ฿193

-20.78%

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

$238 BAM 400

$299 ฿9,766

-20.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,653 BAM 6,137

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-75.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 BAM 127

$54.7 ฿1,787

37.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 BAM 62.0

$26.77 ฿874

37.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 BAM 121

$85.0 ฿2,776

-15.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 BAM 207

$70.6 ฿2,306

74.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 BAM 265

$428 ฿14.0K

-63.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 BAM 287

$237 ฿7,752

-27.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 BAM 612

$801 ฿26.2K

-54.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 BAM 531

$515 ฿16.8K

-38.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 BAM 4,286

$1,975 ฿64.5K

29.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,858 BAM 3,122

$1,475 ฿48.2K

25.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $158 in Foca versus $428 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $246 – 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 9% 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 $1,418 per month in Foca and $1,300 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 $238 per month in Foca and $299 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 19% 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 $946 in Foca and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $946 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.