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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $871 per month in Ibb vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,442 per month in Ibb vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,013 per month in Ibb vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ibb is about 8% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ibb and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ibb 37% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.22 YER 1,473

$2.08 ฿68.6

199.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 YER 5,909

$19.64 ฿646

27.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.65 YER 2,994

$5.65 ฿186

123.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 YER 486

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 YER 604

Cappuccino

$2.07 YER 491

$1.81 ฿59.4

14.36%

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

$1.13 YER 269

$0.71 ฿23.45

59.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 YER 127

$0.32 ฿10.38

68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 YER 492

$1.96 ฿64.4

6.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 YER 242

$1.50 ฿49.39

-32.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 YER 473

$1.34 ฿43.93

49.25%

Eggs

$3.57 YER 844

$2.26 ฿74.5

57.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 YER 3,307

$16.26 ฿535

-14.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 YER 1,931

$2.95 ฿97.1

176.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.18 YER 4,541

$9.94 ฿327

92.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 YER 785

$2.57 ฿84.6

29.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 YER 240

$1.06 ฿34.73

-4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 YER 513

$1.61 ฿53.0

34.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 YER 368

$1.52 ฿49.97

2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 YER 347

$1.27 ฿41.77

15.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 YER 321

$1.07 ฿35.06

27.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 YER 191

$0.72 ฿23.68

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 YER 149

$0.51 ฿16.72

23.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.40 YER 805

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 YER 441

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 YER 816

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 YER 936

$4.19 ฿138

-5.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 YER 494

$1.23 ฿40.59

69.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 YER 610

$0.58 ฿18.96

344.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.11 YER 1,683

$2.42 ฿79.7

193.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 YER 498

$1.41 ฿46.43

48.94%

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

$17.1K YER 4.0M

$21.4K ฿705.1K

-20.34%

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

$34.6K YER 8.2M

$27.3K ฿898.7K

26.67%

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

$64.4 YER 15.3K

$63.7 ฿2,093

1.18%

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

$16.07 YER 3,804

$12.85 ฿423

25.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.95 YER 6,854

$20.22 ฿665

43.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 YER 1,436

$6.74 ฿222

-9.94%

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

$24.22 YER 5,734

$778 ฿25.6K

-96.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,128 YER 503.8K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-85.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.82 YER 7,060

$54.3 ฿1,785

-45.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$125 YER 29.5K

$25.45 ฿837

390.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.60 YER 11.5K

$94.3 ฿3,102

-48.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.97 YER 9,699

$73.4 ฿2,415

-44.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 YER 73.8K

$490 ฿16.1K

-36.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 YER 59.5K

$289 ฿9,512

-13.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 YER 179.2K

$894 ฿29.4K

-15.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 YER 147.7K

$517 ฿17.0K

20.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 YER 83.3K

$602 ฿19.8K

-41.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

5.57

101.97%

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

Last update for Ibb: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $312 in Ibb versus $490 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 71% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ibb versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Ibb, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,306 per month in Ibb and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ibb and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ibb, where all-in costs run around $871, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Ibb it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ibb costs $871 versus $947 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 Ibb. 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.