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 $1,317 per month in Isabela vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,951 per month in Isabela vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,585 per month in Isabela vs $1,814 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

$11.87 $11.87

$1.96 ฿63.6

505.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 $60.2

$18.39 ฿598

227.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.87 ฿256

-0.25%

Cappuccino

$3.56 $3.56

$1.95 ฿63.4

82.56%

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

$1.28 $1.28

$0.85 ฿27.57

50.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.32 ฿10.52

287.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.14 ฿69.6

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.68 ฿120

7.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.66 ฿53.9

19.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.56 ฿50.7

78.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.19 ฿38.63

4.20%

Eggs

$3.03 $3.03

$1.99 ฿64.7

52.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 $8.76

$16.24 ฿528

-46.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$3.17 ฿103

112.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.50 $12.50

$10.84 ฿352

15.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.65 ฿86.2

68.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.22 ฿39.67

114.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.65 ฿53.7

143.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.55 ฿50.3

158.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.33 ฿43.17

196.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.21 ฿39.43

149.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 $2.99

$0.68 ฿22.04

339.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.57 ฿18.38

238.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.07 $12.07

$4.68 ฿152

157.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.44 $15.44

$16.99 ฿552

-9.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.82 ฿59.3

41.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.18 ฿103

-1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.34 ฿43.52

10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.19 $15.19

$8.14 ฿265

86.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.28 ฿41.53

-28.13%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$21.8K ฿709.3K

64.99%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

17.87%

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

$481 $481

$70.5 ฿2,291

582.34%

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

$78.1 $78.1

$14.05 ฿457

456.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.8 $72.8

$17.65 ฿574

312.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 $12.17

$5.96 ฿194

104.19%

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

$465 $465

$303 ฿9,846

53.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K $10.6K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-29.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.00 $45.00

$54.7 ฿1,778

-17.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$26.29 ฿854

111.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 $91.4

$85.8 ฿2,788

6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$69.7 ฿2,265

54.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 $1,835

$811 ฿26.4K

126.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Isabela versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $242 – 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 $1,976 per month in Isabela and $1,272 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 $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 40% 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 $1,317 in Isabela and $848 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,317 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.