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 $895 per month in Hermel vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,418 per month in Hermel vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,940 per month in Hermel vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hermel costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hermel and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hermel 33% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.63 LBP 951.3K

$1.96 ฿65.9

442.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 LBP 5.3M

$18.35 ฿617

224.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 LBP 714.7K

$7.48 ฿252

6.82%

Cappuccino

$3.41 LBP 305.6K

$2.02 ฿67.8

68.81%

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

$1.59 LBP 142.6K

$0.85 ฿28.52

87.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

$0.36 ฿11.97

141.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 LBP 320.6K

$2.14 ฿71.9

67.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 LBP 445.4K

$3.59 ฿121

38.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LBP 158.8K

$1.65 ฿55.5

7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

$1.57 ฿52.7

-48.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 LBP 157.4K

$1.19 ฿40.05

47.90%

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.7K

$1.94 ฿65.1

64.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.17 LBP 999.8K

$16.19 ฿545

-31.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.55 LBP 854.7K

$2.99 ฿101

219.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

$10.94 ฿368

4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 LBP 161.0K

$2.71 ฿91.2

-33.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 LBP 136.5K

$1.17 ฿39.27

30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

$1.69 ฿56.8

-31.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 LBP 98.6K

$1.60 ฿54.0

-31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

$1.38 ฿46.56

-31.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.1K

$1.20 ฿40.47

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

$0.67 ฿22.51

32.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

$0.56 ฿18.74

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 LBP 217.3K

$4.64 ฿156

-47.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.09 LBP 903.2K

$17.62 ฿593

-42.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 LBP 114.7K

$1.86 ฿62.6

-31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 LBP 199.0K

$3.30 ฿111

-32.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 LBP 456.3K

$1.36 ฿45.92

275.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 109.1K

$1.34 ฿45.00

-8.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.26 LBP 1.8M

$8.21 ฿276

146.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.4K

$1.22 ฿41.20

-26.23%

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

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

$21.4K ฿718.5K

61.84%

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

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

$22.5K ฿758.1K

22.13%

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

$219 LBP 19.6M

$70.7 ฿2,378

209.55%

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

$37.84 LBP 3.4M

$14.04 ฿472

169.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.79 LBP 3.3M

$17.49 ฿589

110.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 LBP 725.1K

$5.92 ฿199

36.82%

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

$302 LBP 27.0M

$309 ฿10.4K

-2.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,434 LBP 396.8M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-70.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.3 LBP 6.5M

$55.8 ฿1,876

29.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.49 LBP 4.0M

$26.11 ฿879

70.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 LBP 11.1M

$83.0 ฿2,793

49.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 LBP 8.5M

$70.5 ฿2,371

34.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Hermel versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Hermel vs $243 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 4% 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 $1,343 per month in Hermel and $1,292 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 $60.0 in Hermel and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $895 in Hermel and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $895 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.