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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $705 per month in Holetown vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,384 per month in Holetown vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,064 per month in Holetown vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Holetown is about 18% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Holetown and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Holetown 47% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.63 BBD 25.26

$1.96 ฿65.7

544.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.3 BBD 199

$18.35 ฿616

441.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.20 BBD 30.40

$7.48 ฿251

103.21%

Cappuccino

$4.46 BBD 8.92

$2.02 ฿67.7

120.79%

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

$1.47 BBD 2.93

$0.85 ฿28.45

72.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 BBD 2.43

$0.36 ฿11.94

238.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 BBD 4.06

$2.14 ฿71.7

-5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 BBD 5.92

$3.59 ฿121

-17.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 BBD 3.95

$1.65 ฿55.4

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 BBD 2.52

$1.57 ฿52.6

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 BBD 8.20

$1.19 ฿39.95

244.54%

Eggs

$6.93 BBD 13.86

$1.94 ฿65.0

257.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.82 BBD 23.65

$16.19 ฿544

-26.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.43 BBD 24.85

$2.99 ฿100

315.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

Apples (1kg)

$6.87 BBD 13.73

$2.71 ฿91.0

153.51%

Banana (1kg)

$7.55 BBD 15.10

$1.17 ฿39.18

545.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 BBD 11.68

$1.69 ฿56.6

245.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 BBD 4.97

$1.60 ฿53.9

55.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 BBD 7.79

$1.38 ฿46.45

181.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 BBD 6.13

$1.20 ฿40.38

155.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 BBD 4.94

$0.67 ฿22.46

268.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 BBD 4.91

$0.56 ฿18.70

337.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 BBD 3.53

$0.88 ฿29.63

101.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$30.53 BBD 61.1

$1.36 ฿45.82

2144.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.44 BBD 80.9

$8.21 ฿276

392.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

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

$14.04 ฿471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 BBD 152

$42.15 ฿1,415

80.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 BBD 25.13

$5.92 ฿199

112.16%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,275 BBD 12.5K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-57.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Holetown: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Holetown versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $243 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Holetown, 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 $1,057 per month in Holetown and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $705 in Holetown and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 42% 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 $705 in Holetown and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Holetown costs $705 versus $861 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 Holetown. 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.