Cost of Living Comparison Between Hat Yai and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Hat Yai and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $744 per month in Hat Yai vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,340 per month in Hat Yai vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,935 per month in Hat Yai vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hat Yai is about 22% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Hat Yai and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hat Yai 46% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ฿103

$2.10 ฿69.3

48.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.91 ฿1,517

$19.84 ฿656

131.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 ฿126

$5.79 ฿191

-34.37%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿97.5

$1.83 ฿60.4

61.20%

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

$1.34 ฿44.32

$0.78 ฿25.61

71.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.69

$0.31 ฿10.37

74.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.34 ฿77.2

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿122

$3.70 ฿122

-0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ฿51.2

$2.03 ฿67.1

-23.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ฿41.64

$1.60 ฿52.7

-21.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.93

$1.42 ฿46.75

-10.56%

Eggs

$2.55 ฿84.4

$2.18 ฿71.9

16.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.62 ฿747

$15.91 ฿526

42.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.0

$3.07 ฿102

-24.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 ฿381

$9.87 ฿326

16.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ฿47.56

$1.10 ฿36.19

30.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.63 ฿53.8

24.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ฿63.0

$1.53 ฿50.6

24.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.78

$1.24 ฿41.13

19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ฿34.56

$1.13 ฿37.37

-7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.74 ฿24.38

106.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ฿13.74

$0.50 ฿16.48

-16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 ฿148

$4.28 ฿141

4.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 ฿497

$17.97 ฿594

-16.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿58.6

$1.70 ฿56.1

4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ฿66.8

$2.90 ฿95.7

-30.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ฿19.42

$0.94 ฿31.13

-37.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.60

$1.23 ฿40.76

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 ฿40.64

$0.53 ฿17.66

132.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ฿119

$2.40 ฿79.3

50.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.13

$1.44 ฿47.55

-6.94%

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

$18.8K ฿619.9K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

-11.47%

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

$46.3K ฿1.5M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

69.68%

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

$87.2 ฿2,882

$64.9 ฿2,145

34.31%

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

$12.05 ฿398

$13.35 ฿441

-9.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.91 ฿327

$20.83 ฿688

-52.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.49 ฿1,635

$40.42 ฿1,336

22.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.27 ฿471

$3.95 ฿131

261.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 ฿250

$6.71 ฿222

12.67%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$787 ฿26.0K

-26.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K ฿371.0K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-25.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.13 ฿1,260

$56.2 ฿1,858

-32.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.65 ฿913

$24.95 ฿824

10.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 ฿2,330

$92.7 ฿3,063

-23.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 ฿3,265

$75.1 ฿2,482

31.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ฿9,127

$484 ฿16.0K

-42.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 ฿3,627

$287 ฿9,491

-61.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ฿24.7K

$910 ฿30.1K

-17.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$404 ฿13.3K

$531 ฿17.5K

-23.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿65.9K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

0.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,594 ฿52.7K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

9.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$463 ฿15.3K

$605 ฿20.0K

-23.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

5.57

14.18%

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

Last update for Hat Yai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Hat Yai versus $484 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 31% 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 $46.00 in Hat Yai versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai 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

Hat Yai vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than Hat Yai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,116 per month in Hat Yai and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hat Yai, 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 $46.00 in Hat Yai and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hat Yai, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Hat Yai 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. Hat Yai costs $744 versus $950 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 Hat Yai. 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.