😐A single person spends $1,342 per month in Isabela vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,958 per month in Isabela vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,573 per month in Isabela vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Isabela costs about 58% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Isabela sits 0% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Isabela
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.79$11.79
$1.96฿64.0
501.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.7$59.7
$18.81฿615
217.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.95$7.95
$7.92฿259
0.38%
Cappuccino
$3.52$3.52
$1.91฿62.6
84.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22$1.22
$0.84฿27.41
45.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28$1.28
$0.35฿11.51
265.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21$2.21
$2.21฿72.1
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96$3.96
$3.80฿124
4.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Isabela
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.90$1.90
$1.64฿53.5
15.85%
White Bread(500g)
$2.92$2.92
$1.62฿53.1
80.25%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.24$1.24
$1.18฿38.62
5.08%
Eggs
$2.98$2.98
$2.01฿65.8
48.26%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.65$8.65
$15.89฿520
-45.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.58$6.58
$3.01฿98.5
118.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.70$12.70
$10.77฿352
17.92%
Apples(1kg)
$4.35$4.35
$2.61฿85.5
66.67%
Banana(1kg)
$2.69$2.69
$1.22฿39.88
120.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.92$3.92
$1.70฿55.7
130.59%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.02$4.02
$1.58฿51.5
154.43%
Potato(1kg)
$4.08$4.08
$1.32฿43.14
209.09%
Onion(1kg)
$3.08$3.08
$1.17฿38.23
163.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.99$2.99
$0.67฿21.98
346.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.89$1.89
$0.56฿18.32
237.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.05$12.05
$4.53฿148
166.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.63$15.63
$18.20฿595
-14.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.53$2.53
$1.83฿60.0
38.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15$3.15
$3.23฿106
-2.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Isabela
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.89฿29.00
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$19.38฿634
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$1.35฿44.20
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.49$1.49
$1.35฿44.05
10.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$15.30$15.30
$8.25฿270
85.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.86$0.86
$1.27฿41.64
-32.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.4K$36.4K
$21.2K฿691.8K
71.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K$27.1K
$22.5K฿735.3K
20.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Isabela
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$493$493
$70.2฿2,294
602.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$78.2$78.2
$13.77฿450
467.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.9$74.9
$17.60฿575
325.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Isabela
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$41.57฿1,360
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.60฿216
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.15$12.15
$5.78฿189
110.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Isabela
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$475$475
$306฿10.0K
55.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.3K$10.3K
$14.8K฿484.8K
-30.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Isabela
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.43$46.43
$54.4฿1,778
-14.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.1$55.1
$26.14฿855
110.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.8$90.8
$84.5฿2,764
7.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105$105
$69.4฿2,270
51.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Isabela
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$424฿13.9K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$238฿7,788
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,765$1,765
$825฿27.0K
113.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$515฿16.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,049฿67.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,523฿49.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Isabela
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$635฿20.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.71
5
14.20%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Isabela: April 28, 2026
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Isabela versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Isabela vs Chiang Mai: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Isabela or Chiang Mai?
Isabela costs about 58% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Isabela vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,014 per month in Isabela and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Isabela vs Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Isabela and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Isabela or Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 39% more in Isabela, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $800/month in Isabela or Chiang Mai?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,342 in Isabela and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Isabela or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,342 in Isabela. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Isabela compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Isabela or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Isabela makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Isabela vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado