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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,010 per month in Hermel vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,592 per month in Hermel vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,174 per month in Hermel vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Hermel and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hermel 27% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 LBP 1.1M

$2.08 ฿69.2

487.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 LBP 5.7M

$19.64 ฿651

223.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 LBP 908.8K

$5.65 ฿188

79.65%

Cappuccino

$4.67 LBP 418.2K

$1.81 ฿59.9

158.01%

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

$2.35 LBP 210.2K

$0.71 ฿23.66

230.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 LBP 75.7K

$0.32 ฿10.48

165.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 LBP 450.3K

$2.24 ฿74.2

124.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 LBP 438.4K

$3.63 ฿121

34.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 LBP 173.1K

$1.96 ฿65.0

-1.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 LBP 75.7K

$1.50 ฿49.83

-43.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 LBP 192.0K

$1.34 ฿44.32

59.70%

Eggs

$3.56 LBP 318.3K

$2.26 ฿75.1

57.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.64 LBP 1.2M

$16.26 ฿539

-16.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 LBP 946.0K

$2.95 ฿98.0

258.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 LBP 1.2M

$9.94 ฿330

40.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 LBP 270.3K

$2.57 ฿85.3

17.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 151.6K

$1.06 ฿35.04

59.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 LBP 144.9K

$1.61 ฿53.5

0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 LBP 137.3K

$1.52 ฿50.4

0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 LBP 125.0K

$1.27 ฿42.14

10.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 LBP 147.4K

$1.07 ฿35.37

54.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 LBP 108.8K

$0.72 ฿23.89

69.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 LBP 65.9K

$0.51 ฿16.87

45.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 LBP 276.1K

$4.19 ฿139

-26.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 LBP 883.0K

$17.87 ฿593

-44.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 LBP 117.2K

$1.69 ฿56.2

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 LBP 228.2K

$2.84 ฿94.1

-10.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 LBP 450.5K

$1.23 ฿40.95

308.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 LBP 204.4K

$0.58 ฿19.13

293.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.34 LBP 2.0M

$2.42 ฿80.4

823.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.9K

$1.41 ฿46.84

-29.08%

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

$54.3K LBP 4.9B

$21.4K ฿711.3K

153.18%

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

$32.0K LBP 2.9B

$27.3K ฿906.7K

17.05%

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

$229 LBP 20.5M

$63.7 ฿2,112

260.14%

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

$23.39 LBP 2.1M

$12.85 ฿426

82.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.35 LBP 3.3M

$20.22 ฿671

84.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,285

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$9.88 LBP 884.4K

$6.74 ฿223

46.59%

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

$690 LBP 61.7M

$778 ฿25.8K

-11.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K LBP 972.4M

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-25.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 LBP 6.0M

$54.3 ฿1,801

22.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.70 LBP 4.4M

$25.45 ฿844

95.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 LBP 12.5M

$94.3 ฿3,129

48.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 LBP 10.8M

$73.4 ฿2,436

64.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,596

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Hermel: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Hermel versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $240 – 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

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

Hermel 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 $1,514 per month in Hermel and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Hermel and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Hermel, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Hermel at $1,010. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hermel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,010 in Hermel. 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, Hermel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.