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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $567 per month in Herat vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $732 per month in Herat vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $898 per month in Herat vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Herat is about 35% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Herat and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Herat 58% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ؋133

$1.94 ฿63.5

8.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.41 ؋534

$18.64 ฿609

-54.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.88 ؋247

$7.82 ฿255

-50.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ؋136

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 ؋467

Cappuccino

$0.73 ؋46.64

$1.95 ฿63.8

-62.56%

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

$0.52 ؋33.01

$0.85 ฿27.77

-38.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ؋7.62

$0.35 ฿11.58

-65.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$0.48 ؋30.44

$1.71 ฿56.0

-71.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.30 ؋19.18

$1.63 ฿53.2

-81.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 ؋181

$1.14 ฿37.15

150.88%

Eggs

$2.01 ؋128

$1.93 ฿63.1

4.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.80 ؋178

$16.21 ฿530

-82.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.63 ؋167

$3.12 ฿102

-15.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.58 ؋355

$10.90 ฿356

-48.81%

Apples (1kg)

$0.73 ؋46.55

$2.75 ฿90.0

-73.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ؋43.60

$1.21 ฿39.52

-42.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.55 ؋34.91

$1.62 ฿53.0

-66.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 ؋37.88

$1.59 ฿51.8

-62.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ؋37.99

$1.40 ฿45.70

-57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 ؋22.21

$1.17 ฿38.17

-70.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ؋17.72

$0.53 ฿17.22

-47.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ؋56.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 ؋116

$4.69 ฿153

-61.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ؋17.73

$0.90 ฿29.26

-68.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 ؋135

$1.41 ฿45.91

50.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 ؋87.1

$1.29 ฿42.12

6.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 ؋280

$7.84 ฿256

-43.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ؋66.1

$1.27 ฿41.58

-18.11%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

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

$183 ؋11.6K

$69.1 ฿2,256

165.18%

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

$14.08 ฿460

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$145 ؋9,184

$18.00 ฿588

703.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.34 ؋911

$41.06 ฿1,341

-65.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

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

$14.54 ؋923

$299 ฿9,766

-95.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.37 ؋1,357

$54.7 ฿1,787

-60.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 ؋1,385

$26.77 ฿874

-18.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.50 ؋1,810

$85.0 ฿2,776

-66.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.23 ؋2,301

$70.6 ฿2,306

-48.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$70.7 ؋4,492

$428 ฿14.0K

-83.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$42.90 ؋2,725

$237 ฿7,752

-81.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 ؋7,259

$801 ฿26.2K

-85.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.7 ؋4,487

$515 ฿16.8K

-86.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

300.00%

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

Last update for Herat: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $70.7 in Herat 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 $8.00 in Herat versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $84.0 vs $246 – making Herat 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than Herat, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $850 per month in Herat 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 Herat, 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 $8.00 in Herat 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 192% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $567 in Herat and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Herat costs $567 versus $866 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 Herat. 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.