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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $528 per month in Jos vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,094 per month in Jos vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,660 per month in Jos vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jos is about 44% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Jos and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jos 62% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₦2,835

$2.10 ฿69.3

1.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.30 ₦38.8K

$19.84 ฿656

47.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 ₦6,094

$5.79 ฿191

-20.55%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ₦4,508

$1.83 ฿60.4

85.79%

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

$0.55 ₦730

$0.78 ฿25.61

-29.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₦928

$0.31 ฿10.37

125.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₦1,421

$2.34 ฿77.2

-54.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₦2,779

$3.70 ฿122

-43.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.63 ₦4,811

$2.03 ฿67.1

78.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ₦1,128

$1.60 ฿52.7

-46.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₦2,979

$1.42 ฿46.75

58.45%

Eggs

$1.86 ₦2,461

$2.18 ฿71.9

-14.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 ₦13.2K

$15.91 ฿526

-37.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 ₦6,780

$3.07 ฿102

66.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 ₦5,324

$9.87 ฿326

-59.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ₦2,622

$2.63 ฿86.8

-24.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₦1,975

$1.10 ฿36.19

35.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ₦2,026

$1.63 ฿53.8

-6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₦3,028

$1.53 ฿50.6

49.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ₦2,381

$1.24 ฿41.13

45.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 ₦3,222

$1.13 ฿37.37

115.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ₦769

$0.74 ฿24.38

-21.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₦488

$0.50 ฿16.48

-26.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 ₦2,697

$4.28 ฿141

-52.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ₦7,642

$17.97 ฿594

-67.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₦1,632

$1.70 ฿56.1

-27.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₦2,378

$2.90 ฿95.7

-38.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 ₦774

$1.23 ฿40.76

-52.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₦1,054

$0.53 ฿17.66

50.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ₦2,427

$2.40 ฿79.3

-23.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 ₦768

$1.44 ฿47.55

-59.72%

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

$26.5K ₦35.1M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

24.91%

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

$18.3K ₦24.3M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-32.88%

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

$101 ₦134.5K

$64.9 ฿2,145

56.29%

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

$6.36 ₦8,428

$13.35 ฿441

-52.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.56 ₦37.9K

$20.83 ฿688

37.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.25 ₦52.0K

$40.42 ฿1,336

-2.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 ₦16.2K

$3.95 ฿131

209.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 ₦6,523

$6.71 ฿222

-26.68%

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

$44.31 ₦58.7K

$787 ฿26.0K

-94.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,017 ₦1.3M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-93.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.88 ₦13.1K

$56.2 ฿1,858

-82.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.03 ₦19.9K

$24.95 ฿824

-39.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.9 ₦67.4K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-45.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.03 ₦65.0K

$75.1 ฿2,482

-34.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 ₦727.6K

$910 ฿30.1K

-39.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 ₦646.9K

$531 ฿17.5K

-8.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,040 ₦2.7M

$1,980 ฿65.4K

3.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,481 ₦2.0M

$1,451 ฿47.9K

2.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$100 ₦132.6K

$605 ฿20.0K

-83.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

5.57

303.95%

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

Last update for Jos: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 505% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Jos versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Jos vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Jos wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 80% more than Jos, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Jos and $1,426 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 $29.00 in Jos and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jos, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Jos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jos costs $528 versus $950 in Chiang Mai. 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 Jos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.