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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,324 per month in Isabela vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,940 per month in Isabela vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,557 per month in Isabela vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Isabela costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Isabela and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Isabela 1% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.08 $12.08

$2.04 ฿68.2

492.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 $60.2

$18.71 ฿624

221.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 $8.22

$7.86 ฿262

4.58%

Cappuccino

$3.68 $3.68

$2.03 ฿67.7

81.28%

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

$1.27 $1.27

$0.80 ฿26.64

58.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.35 ฿11.68

265.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.14 ฿71.5

8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.67 ฿122

7.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.73 ฿57.6

14.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.57 ฿52.4

82.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.20 ฿39.99

4.17%

Eggs

$3.05 $3.05

$1.97 ฿65.8

54.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 $8.95

$16.23 ฿541

-44.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 $6.44

$3.06 ฿102

110.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$10.80 ฿360

17.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.77 ฿92.3

60.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.17 ฿38.94

124.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.71 ฿57.0

122.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.59 ฿53.2

157.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.39 ฿46.51

181.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.16 ฿38.56

163.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$0.66 ฿22.05

357.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.52 ฿17.31

271.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 $11.85

$4.65 ฿155

154.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.33 $15.33

$17.78 ฿593

-13.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.79 ฿59.6

39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.34 ฿111

-5.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.34 ฿44.70

14.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.27 $15.27

$8.11 ฿270

88.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.23 ฿41.16

-24.39%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

65.46%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

22.17%

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

$495 $495

$71.3 ฿2,379

594.04%

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

$77.6 $77.6

$14.01 ฿467

453.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$17.93 ฿598

306.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$11.83 $11.83

$5.72 ฿191

106.82%

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

$476 $476

$308 ฿10.3K

54.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K $10.6K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-27.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.32 $46.32

$55.8 ฿1,860

-16.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 $57.0

$26.04 ฿869

118.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 $89.5

$84.8 ฿2,829

5.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$71.0 ฿2,368

49.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 $1,834

$797 ฿26.6K

130.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

14.20%

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

Last update for Isabela: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 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 $244 – 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

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

Isabela costs about 55% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,986 per month in Isabela and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,324 in Isabela and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,324 in Isabela. 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, Isabela makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.