Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hai Duong and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Hai Duong: $791 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

Hai Duong, Vietnam
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Hai Duong
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$791
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $791 per month in Hai Duong vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Hai Duong $791
  • Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $1,252 per month in Hai Duong vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Hai Duong $1,252
  • Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $1,712 per month in Hai Duong vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Hai Duong $1,712
  • Chiang Mai $1,999

Hai Duong is about 15% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hai Duong and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hai Duong 41% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hai Duong
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.86 ₫48.0K
$2.13 ฿71.8
-12.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.69 ₫533.0K
$18.62 ฿626
11.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.69 ₫120.8K
$5.60 ฿188
-16.25%
Cappuccino
$1.46 ₫37.5K
$1.66 ฿55.9
-12.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ₫11.1K
$0.65 ฿21.75
-33.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 ₫7,240
$0.30 ฿10.25
-6.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.81 ₫20.8K
$2.32 ฿78.1
-65.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 ₫34.3K
$3.67 ฿123
-63.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hai Duong
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₫40.3K
$2.02 ฿67.8
-22.77%
White Bread (500g)
$0.91 ₫23.4K
$1.41 ฿47.34
-35.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.74 ₫19.1K
$1.39 ฿46.79
-46.76%
Eggs
$1.43 ₫36.9K
$2.37 ฿79.6
-39.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.23 ₫340.7K
$16.52 ฿555
-19.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.20 ₫108.2K
$2.67 ฿89.8
57.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.89 ₫280.4K
$9.02 ฿303
20.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 ₫65.5K
$2.40 ฿80.6
5.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 ₫25.9K
$1.04 ฿35.01
-2.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.25 ₫32.1K
$1.66 ฿55.8
-24.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.98 ₫25.1K
$1.56 ฿52.4
-37.18%
Potato (1kg)
$0.86 ₫22.2K
$1.24 ฿41.61
-30.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.20 ₫31.0K
$1.09 ฿36.53
10.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.56 ₫14.5K
$0.76 ฿25.61
-26.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 ₫16.0K
$0.51 ฿17.29
21.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.27 ₫32.8K
$4.12 ฿139
-69.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.82 ₫175.6K
$17.93 ฿603
-61.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 ₫24.9K
$1.62 ฿54.6
-40.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 ₫37.2K
$2.82 ฿94.9
-48.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Hai Duong
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 ₫9,167
$0.93 ฿31.42
-61.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.84 ₫202.0K
$52.9 ฿1,778
-85.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.87 ₫22.5K
$1.18 ฿39.56
-26.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.66 ₫17.1K
$0.17 ฿5.76
288.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.35 ₫60.5K
$1.81 ฿60.9
29.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 ₫25.7K
$1.47 ฿49.51
-31.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K ₫895.5M
$21.0K ฿706.4K
65.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K ₫732.6M
$26.5K ฿891.4K
7.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hai Duong
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.9 ₫2.0M
$62.6 ฿2,103
24.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.13 ₫132.2K
$11.60 ฿390
-55.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.55 ₫246.0K
$20.30 ฿683
-52.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hai Duong
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.02 ₫567.2K
$37.88 ฿1,274
-41.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.81 ₫201.2K
$3.70 ฿124
111.08%
Cinema Ticket
$3.54 ₫91.1K
$6.51 ฿219
-45.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hai Duong
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$362 ₫9.3M
$727 ฿24.4K
-50.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K ₫413.7M
$16.6K ฿557.2K
-3.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hai Duong
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.54 ₫1.1M
$53.5 ฿1,800
-22.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.75 ₫766.3K
$24.80 ฿834
19.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.3 ₫1.9M
$90.4 ฿3,039
-18.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.5 ₫1.7M
$72.0 ฿2,420
-8.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hai Duong
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$403 ₫10.4M
$481 ฿16.2K
-16.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$314 ₫8.1M
$310 ฿10.4K
1.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$582 ₫15.0M
$1,058 ฿35.6K
-45.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₫16.8M
$659 ฿22.1K
-1.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,316 ₫59.7M
$2,418 ฿81.3K
-4.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,382 ₫35.6M
$1,609 ฿54.1K
-14.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hai Duong
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$595 ฿20.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.17
5.57
46.68%

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

Last update for Hai Duong: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hai Duong
$314
Chiang Mai
$310 1.3% $4
Groceries & Markets
Hai Duong
$191
Chiang Mai
$237 23.6% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Hai Duong
$95
Chiang Mai
$108 14.6% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hai Duong
$93
Chiang Mai
$94 2.1% $1.9
Eating Out
Hai Duong
$56
Chiang Mai
$77 36.7% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Hai Duong
$29
Chiang Mai
$51 75% $22
Getting Around
Hai Duong
$13
Chiang Mai
$59 336% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Hai Duong versus $481 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 $21 in Hai Duong versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $191 in Hai Duong vs $237 in Chiang Mai – so Hai Duong wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Hai Duong
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
04:50 4:50 AM
04:50 4:50 AM
Same time as Hai Duong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
312,606
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 25,761 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 29,000 VND (100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hai Duong Chiang Mai 800 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Hai Duong
  • 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
Hai Duong vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hai Duong or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Hai Duong, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 Hai Duong and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,186 per month in Hai Duong and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Hai Duong or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hai Duong, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $403 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Hai Duong and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $362 per month in Hai Duong and $727 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 Hai Duong or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 24% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Hai Duong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Hai Duong compared to Chiang Mai?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Hai Duong vs other spots: cost of living compared

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