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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,103 per month in Kamez vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,653 per month in Kamez vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,203 per month in Kamez vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kamez costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kamez and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kamez 17% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.48 ALL 773

$1.96 ฿65.9

383.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.82 ALL 3,003

$18.35 ฿617

100.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 ALL 587

$7.48 ฿252

-3.88%

Cappuccino

$1.90 ALL 155

$2.02 ฿67.8

-5.94%

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

$1.58 ALL 129

$0.85 ฿28.52

85.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ALL 65.8

$0.36 ฿11.97

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ALL 196

$2.14 ฿71.9

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ALL 264

$3.59 ฿121

-9.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ALL 160

$1.65 ฿55.5

18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 75.2

$1.57 ฿52.7

-41.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 ALL 160

$1.19 ฿40.05

64.71%

Eggs

$2.90 ALL 236

$1.94 ฿65.1

49.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 ALL 812

$16.19 ฿545

-38.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 ALL 650

$2.99 ฿101

166.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ALL 1,061

$10.94 ฿368

18.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 ALL 141

$2.71 ฿91.2

-36.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 ALL 198

$1.17 ฿39.27

107.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ALL 139

$1.69 ฿56.8

1.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ALL 110

$1.60 ฿54.0

-15.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ALL 86.5

$1.38 ฿46.56

-23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ALL 99.9

$1.20 ฿40.47

2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ALL 89.4

$0.67 ฿22.51

64.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ALL 63.4

$0.56 ฿18.74

39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 ALL 332

$4.64 ฿156

-12.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.04 ALL 819

$17.62 ฿593

-43.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 ALL 128

$1.86 ฿62.6

-15.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ALL 147

$3.30 ฿111

-45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.88

$0.88 ฿29.70

-44.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.10 ALL 1,557

$19.34 ฿651

-1.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 ALL 278

$1.36 ฿45.92

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ALL 261

$1.34 ฿45.00

138.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.52 ALL 1,428

$8.21 ฿276

113.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 ALL 175

$1.22 ฿41.20

75.41%

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

$34.1K ALL 2.8M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

59.69%

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

$25.4K ALL 2.1M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

12.60%

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

$67.1 ALL 5,469

$70.7 ฿2,378

-5.11%

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

$17.18 ALL 1,401

$14.04 ฿472

22.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.18 ALL 1,319

$17.49 ฿589

-7.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.7 ALL 4,541

$42.15 ฿1,418

32.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.91 ALL 2,032

$6.88 ฿231

262.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.28 ALL 675

$5.92 ฿199

39.86%

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

$160 ALL 13.0K

$309 ฿10.4K

-48.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,678 ALL 463.1K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-61.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.30 ALL 3,858

$55.8 ฿1,876

-15.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 ALL 4,157

$26.11 ฿879

95.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ALL 7,563

$83.0 ฿2,793

11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ALL 10.4K

$70.5 ฿2,371

80.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ALL 36.1K

$432 ฿14.5K

2.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 ALL 27.6K

$239 ฿8,040

41.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ALL 49.8K

$822 ฿27.7K

-25.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ALL 35.3K

$512 ฿17.2K

-15.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,673 ALL 136.4K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-12.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,231 ALL 100.4K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-16.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-20.00%

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

Last update for Kamez: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Kamez versus $432 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 $37.00 in Kamez versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $243 – 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

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

Kamez costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,655 per month in Kamez and $1,292 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.

Kindergarten costs $160 per month in Kamez and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Kamez, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Kamez at $1,103. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kamez it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,103 in Kamez. 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, Kamez makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.