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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $913 per month in Kalasin vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,520 per month in Kalasin vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,127 per month in Kalasin vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kalasin is about 1% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kalasin and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kalasin 33% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.20 ฿171

$2.11 ฿69.1

146.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.51 ฿771

$19.75 ฿648

19.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 ฿153

$5.85 ฿192

-20.51%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ฿64.9

$1.76 ฿57.8

12.50%

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

$0.64 ฿20.86

$0.74 ฿24.37

-13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.09

$0.33 ฿10.90

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.4

$2.47 ฿81.0

-13.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ฿96.2

$3.88 ฿127

-24.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.5

$1.90 ฿62.4

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.68

$1.67 ฿54.7

-14.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.35

$1.35 ฿44.24

-2.22%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿71.7

$2.14 ฿70.2

2.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.79 ฿518

$15.89 ฿521

-0.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$2.83 ฿92.9

-4.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿346

$10.53 ฿345

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 ฿109

$2.38 ฿78.2

39.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿35.86

$1.07 ฿35.01

1.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ฿74.8

$1.52 ฿49.79

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$1.50 ฿49.30

14.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.50

$1.28 ฿41.96

15.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.15

$1.10 ฿36.17

5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.83

$0.69 ฿22.54

57.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.36

$0.49 ฿16.18

2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$4.27 ฿140

4.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.88 ฿554

$16.78 ฿550

0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿57.2

$1.66 ฿54.4

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿93.4

$2.81 ฿92.3

1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.90 ฿29.44

-2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ฿38.88

$1.20 ฿39.24

-0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.89

$0.54 ฿17.78

101.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

$2.37 ฿77.9

63.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ฿45.13

$1.43 ฿46.88

-3.50%

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

$24.3K ฿795.9K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

15.10%

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

$27.4K ฿898.1K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

0.89%

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

$82.5 ฿2,708

$64.7 ฿2,124

27.48%

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

$12.46 ฿409

$13.19 ฿433

-5.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.09 ฿627

$19.44 ฿638

-1.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 ฿1,643

$39.45 ฿1,294

26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.46 ฿475

$3.77 ฿124

283.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 ฿215

$6.62 ฿217

-1.06%

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

$574 ฿18.8K

$805 ฿26.4K

-28.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿375.9K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-24.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.01 ฿1,608

$54.8 ฿1,796

-10.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.29 ฿961

$25.43 ฿834

15.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 ฿2,502

$91.9 ฿3,015

-17.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ฿2,442

$74.7 ฿2,449

-0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ฿15.3K

$467 ฿15.3K

-0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,473

$282 ฿9,251

2.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 ฿40.2K

$891 ฿29.2K

37.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$703 ฿23.1K

$521 ฿17.1K

34.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ฿64.7K

$1,985 ฿65.1K

-0.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,581 ฿51.9K

$1,462 ฿48.0K

8.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Kalasin: August 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Kalasin versus $467 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 $24.00 in Kalasin versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $237 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Kalasin, 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 $1,370 per month in Kalasin and $1,380 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalasin, 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 $24.00 in Kalasin and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kalasin, where all-in costs run around $913, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Kalasin 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. Kalasin costs $913 versus $920 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 Kalasin. 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.