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 $987 per month in Ibb vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,625 per month in Ibb vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,263 per month in Ibb vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ibb costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ibb and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ibb 26% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 YER 1,606

$1.96 ฿65.9

246.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 YER 9,781

$18.35 ฿617

125.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.77 YER 3,023

$7.48 ฿252

70.72%

Cappuccino

$2.03 YER 480

$2.02 ฿67.8

0.50%

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

$1.67 YER 395

$0.85 ฿28.52

96.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 YER 126

$0.36 ฿11.97

47.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$3.29 YER 778

$1.65 ฿55.5

99.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 YER 277

$1.57 ฿52.7

-25.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 YER 1,140

$1.19 ฿40.05

305.04%

Eggs

$6.53 YER 1,545

$1.94 ฿65.1

236.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 YER 2,268

$16.19 ฿545

-40.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.30 YER 2,912

$2.99 ฿101

311.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.51 YER 6,512

$10.94 ฿368

151.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 YER 1,352

$2.71 ฿91.2

110.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 YER 507

$1.17 ฿39.27

82.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.26 YER 1,482

$1.69 ฿56.8

270.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 YER 883

$1.60 ฿54.0

133.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 YER 545

$1.38 ฿46.56

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 YER 496

$1.20 ฿40.47

75.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 YER 182

$0.67 ฿22.51

14.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 YER 346

$0.56 ฿18.74

160.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.43 YER 813

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 YER 988

$4.64 ฿156

-9.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 YER 488

$1.36 ฿45.92

51.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$4.06 YER 961

$1.22 ฿41.20

232.79%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

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

$91.3 YER 21.6K

$70.7 ฿2,378

29.18%

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

$15.57 YER 3,685

$14.04 ฿472

10.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 YER 18.1K

$17.49 ฿589

337.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.2 YER 19.4K

$42.15 ฿1,418

94.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

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

$29.42 YER 6,963

$309 ฿10.4K

-90.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,391 YER 802.6K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-77.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.45 YER 6,735

$55.8 ฿1,876

-48.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.93 YER 11.6K

$83.0 ฿2,793

-41.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 YER 13.7K

$70.5 ฿2,371

-17.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 YER 51.2K

$432 ฿14.5K

-49.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 YER 38.2K

$239 ฿8,040

-32.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 YER 138.7K

$822 ฿27.7K

-28.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 YER 93.7K

$512 ฿17.2K

-22.68%

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)

$354 YER 83.8K

$579 ฿19.5K

-38.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Ibb: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $216 in Ibb versus $432 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 64% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $41.00 in Ibb versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 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

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

Ibb costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,480 per month in Ibb and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $41.00 in Ibb and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Ibb, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Ibb at $987. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ibb it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $987 in Ibb. 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, Ibb makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.