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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,066 per month in Ishim vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,620 per month in Ishim vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,175 per month in Ishim vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ishim costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ishim and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ishim 20% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.96 ₽727

$1.94 ฿63.5

413.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.56 ₽2,595

$18.64 ฿609

90.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 ₽638

$7.82 ฿255

11.64%

Cappuccino

$2.66 ₽194

$1.95 ฿63.8

36.41%

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

$0.99 ₽72.4

$0.85 ฿27.77

16.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₽42.50

$0.35 ฿11.58

65.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ₽80.1

$2.13 ฿69.6

-48.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₽136

$3.73 ฿122

-50.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₽80.2

$1.71 ฿56.0

-35.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 ₽45.65

$1.63 ฿53.2

-61.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ₽91.9

$1.14 ฿37.15

10.53%

Eggs

$1.67 ₽122

$1.93 ฿63.1

-13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 ₽777

$16.21 ฿530

-34.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 ₽304

$3.12 ฿102

33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.22 ₽892

$10.90 ฿356

12.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₽119

$2.75 ฿90.0

-40.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 ₽133

$1.21 ฿39.52

50.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ₽125

$1.62 ฿53.0

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₽167

$1.59 ฿51.8

44.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 ₽69.6

$1.40 ฿45.70

-32.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₽48.58

$1.17 ฿38.17

-42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₽77.7

$0.66 ฿21.60

60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₽54.0

$0.53 ฿17.22

39.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₽213

$4.69 ฿153

-37.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.82 ₽571

$18.66 ฿609

-58.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₽74.5

$1.80 ฿58.8

-43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₽90.8

$3.23 ฿106

-61.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽39.01

$0.90 ฿29.26

-41.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 ₽213

$1.41 ฿45.91

107.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₽16.05

$1.29 ฿42.12

-82.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 ₽451

$7.84 ฿256

-21.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 ₽55.5

$1.27 ฿41.58

-40.16%

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

$25.4K ₽1.9M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

19.34%

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

$23.2K ₽1.7M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

4.40%

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

$157 ₽11.4K

$69.1 ฿2,256

126.94%

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

$5.02 ₽367

$14.08 ฿460

-64.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.38 ₽758

$18.00 ฿588

-42.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.17 ₽2,567

$41.06 ฿1,341

-14.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 ₽325

$5.92 ฿193

-24.66%

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

$177 ₽12.9K

$299 ฿9,766

-40.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,362 ₽610.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-44.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 ₽7,095

$54.7 ฿1,787

77.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.48 ₽3,319

$26.77 ฿874

69.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 ₽11.0K

$85.0 ฿2,776

77.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 ₽11.8K

$70.6 ฿2,306

129.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₽32.6K

$428 ฿14.0K

4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₽22.6K

$237 ฿7,752

30.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 ₽54.8K

$801 ฿26.2K

-6.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₽37.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

-0.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,461 ₽179.7K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

24.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,796 ₽131.1K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

21.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.38

347.60%

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

Last update for Ishim: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $447 in Ishim versus $428 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ishim versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Ishim vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Ishim wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Ishim costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,598 per month in Ishim and $1,300 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 $36.00 in Ishim and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Ishim – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Ishim at $1,066. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ishim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,066 in Ishim. 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, Ishim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.