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 $887 per month in Hermel vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,417 per month in Hermel vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,947 per month in Hermel vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hermel costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hermel and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hermel 34% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 963.4K

$1.94 ฿63.5

454.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.0 LBP 5.5M

$18.64 ฿609

227.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 LBP 710.6K

$7.82 ฿255

1.53%

Cappuccino

$3.40 LBP 304.7K

$1.95 ฿63.8

74.36%

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

$1.59 LBP 142.0K

$0.85 ฿27.77

87.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

$0.35 ฿11.58

151.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 LBP 308.4K

$2.13 ฿69.6

61.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 LBP 458.5K

$3.73 ฿122

37.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LBP 152.3K

$1.71 ฿56.0

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 LBP 71.3K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-50.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 LBP 163.6K

$1.14 ฿37.15

60.53%

Eggs

$3.15 LBP 282.1K

$1.93 ฿63.1

63.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.22 LBP 1.0M

$16.21 ฿530

-30.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 LBP 871.2K

$3.12 ฿102

211.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 LBP 1.0M

$10.90 ฿356

2.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 LBP 154.3K

$2.75 ฿90.0

-37.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 LBP 130.4K

$1.21 ฿39.52

20.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 LBP 99.0K

$1.62 ฿53.0

-31.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 97.4K

$1.59 ฿51.8

-31.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.0K

$1.40 ฿45.70

-27.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.5K

$1.17 ฿38.17

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

$0.66 ฿21.60

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LBP 49.7K

$0.53 ฿17.22

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 LBP 217.2K

$4.69 ฿153

-48.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 LBP 912.8K

$18.66 ฿609

-45.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 111.0K

$1.80 ฿58.8

-31.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

$3.23 ฿106

-34.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 LBP 459.8K

$1.41 ฿45.91

264.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 LBP 113.1K

$1.29 ฿42.12

-2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.35 LBP 1.8M

$7.84 ฿256

159.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 LBP 84.4K

$1.27 ฿41.58

-25.98%

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

$35.0K LBP 3.1B

$21.3K ฿694.9K

64.35%

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

$27.7K LBP 2.5B

$22.2K ฿725.4K

24.74%

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

$211 LBP 18.9M

$69.1 ฿2,256

206.17%

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

$38.27 LBP 3.4M

$14.08 ฿460

171.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.77 LBP 3.3M

$18.00 ฿588

104.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 LBP 736.4K

$5.92 ฿193

39.02%

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

$303 LBP 27.2M

$299 ฿9,766

1.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,375 LBP 391.6M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-70.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 LBP 6.4M

$54.7 ฿1,787

31.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.12 LBP 4.0M

$26.77 ฿874

68.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 LBP 11.1M

$85.0 ฿2,776

45.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 LBP 8.5M

$70.6 ฿2,306

34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

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 %)

11.16

123.20%

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

Last update for Hermel: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Hermel versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Hermel vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Hermel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 2% 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 $1,331 per month in Hermel and $1,300 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 $61.0 in Hermel and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Hermel – 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 $887 in Hermel 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 $887 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.