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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $746 per month in Heyuan vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,180 per month in Heyuan vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,614 per month in Heyuan vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Heyuan is about 12% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Heyuan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Heyuan 44% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.83 ¥19.18

$2.03 ฿68.4

39.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.02 ¥102

$18.71 ฿631

-19.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 ¥28.82

$7.84 ฿264

-45.66%

Cappuccino

$2.11 ¥14.27

$1.93 ฿65.0

9.33%

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

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.83 ฿28.01

-60.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ¥1.49

$0.35 ฿11.81

-37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 ¥4.58

$2.22 ฿74.8

-69.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥11.57

$3.79 ฿128

-54.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ¥13.33

$1.65 ฿55.5

19.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 ¥14.04

$1.55 ฿52.3

34.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.41

$1.18 ฿39.82

5.08%

Eggs

$1.51 ¥10.19

$2.01 ฿67.9

-24.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.72 ¥127

$16.16 ฿545

15.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 ¥30.45

$3.03 ฿102

48.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 ¥95.1

$10.84 ฿365

29.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.17

$2.68 ฿90.3

-22.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.14

$1.22 ฿41.16

-1.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ¥13.11

$1.63 ฿54.8

19.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.61

$1.53 ฿51.5

-7.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.97

$1.34 ฿45.13

-34.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.34

$1.21 ฿40.88

-9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.70 ฿23.65

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ¥4.35

$0.53 ฿17.71

20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 ¥26.35

$4.69 ฿158

-16.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 ¥81.6

$17.71 ฿597

-31.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.45

$1.85 ฿62.2

-48.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$3.21 ฿108

-56.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.89 ฿30.03

-67.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.80 ¥114

$18.76 ฿632

-10.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 ¥11.61

$1.41 ฿47.43

21.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.33

$1.29 ฿43.54

-73.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.30 ¥42.63

$7.79 ฿263

-19.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.29 ฿43.61

-11.63%

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

$20.6K ¥139.5K

$21.8K ฿733.8K

-5.24%

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

$19.4K ¥131.1K

$21.7K ฿731.2K

-10.66%

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

$60.6 ¥410

$70.0 ฿2,359

-13.38%

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

$13.19 ¥89.2

$14.19 ฿478

-7.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.56 ¥78.2

$17.42 ฿587

-33.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 ¥285

$41.64 ฿1,404

1.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.83 ¥93.6

$6.89 ฿232

100.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ¥43.91

$5.78 ฿195

12.28%

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

$319 ¥2,156

$300 ฿10.1K

6.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K ¥110.3K

$14.5K ฿489.5K

12.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.29 ¥273

$55.4 ฿1,866

-27.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.40 ¥192

$26.31 ฿887

7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 ¥466

$84.8 ฿2,860

-18.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.1 ¥414

$70.5 ฿2,376

-13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥1,906

$425 ฿14.3K

-33.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 ¥1,287

$235 ฿7,924

-19.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ¥3,952

$802 ฿27.0K

-27.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 ¥2,438

$516 ฿17.4K

-30.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,831 ¥19.1K

$1,926 ฿64.9K

46.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,929 ¥13.1K

$1,451 ฿48.9K

32.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,340 ¥9,068

$586 ฿19.8K

128.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

-18.40%

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

Last update for Heyuan: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Heyuan versus $425 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 129% higher in Heyuan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Heyuan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Heyuan vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Heyuan, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,119 per month in Heyuan and $1,271 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Heyuan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $319 per month in Heyuan and $300 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $746 in Heyuan and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Heyuan costs $746 versus $847 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 Heyuan. 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.