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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $515 per month in Kandana vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $844 per month in Kandana vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,173 per month in Kandana vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kandana is about 45% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kandana and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kandana 62% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 LKR 1,434

$2.08 ฿69.3

108.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.55 LKR 8,447

$19.61 ฿653

30.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 LKR 2,456

$5.67 ฿189

31.04%

Cappuccino

$2.57 LKR 850

$1.81 ฿60.1

41.99%

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

$0.74 LKR 246

$0.77 ฿25.58

-3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.0

$0.35 ฿11.49

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 LKR 731

$2.21 ฿73.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 LKR 1,032

$3.79 ฿126

-17.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 LKR 541

$2.05 ฿68.2

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 189

$1.51 ฿50.4

-62.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$1.40 ฿46.57

-42.86%

Eggs

$1.66 LKR 548

$2.26 ฿75.2

-26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 LKR 4,398

$16.19 ฿539

-17.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 LKR 1,672

$2.90 ฿96.4

74.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 LKR 2,376

$9.42 ฿314

-23.67%

Apples (1kg)

$6.92 LKR 2,289

$2.68 ฿89.2

158.21%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 271

$1.09 ฿36.28

-24.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 LKR 1,375

$1.62 ฿53.8

156.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 LKR 424

$1.46 ฿48.61

-12.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 345

$1.28 ฿42.54

-18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$1.06 ฿35.21

-24.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$0.72 ฿23.88

30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 150

$0.53 ฿17.51

-15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.46 LKR 3,457

$4.23 ฿141

147.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 LKR 4,472

$18.29 ฿609

-26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 634

$1.63 ฿54.3

17.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 949

$2.90 ฿96.6

-1.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$1.17 ฿39.04

-64.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.58 ฿19.25

-34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 LKR 296

$2.39 ฿79.4

-62.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 LKR 429

$1.45 ฿48.28

-10.34%

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

$31.0K LKR 10.3M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

47.57%

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

$42.1K LKR 13.9M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

59.26%

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

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

$63.7 ฿2,119

-11.50%

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

$4.19 LKR 1,385

$12.89 ฿429

-67.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.08 LKR 6,971

$20.52 ฿683

2.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 LKR 1,418

$6.58 ฿219

-34.80%

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

$37.67 LKR 12.5K

$784 ฿26.1K

-95.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,218 LKR 402.6K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-91.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.77 LKR 6,537

$55.1 ฿1,835

-64.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.04 LKR 5,635

$24.74 ฿824

-31.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 LKR 26.5K

$94.1 ฿3,133

-14.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.75 LKR 13.8K

$74.0 ฿2,462

-43.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.57

127.83%

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

Last update for Kandana: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kandana versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Kandana vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Kandana 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 81% more than Kandana, 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 $773 per month in Kandana and $1,398 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 $26.00 in Kandana 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 1% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kandana, where all-in costs run around $515, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kandana 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. Kandana costs $515 versus $932 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 Kandana. 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.