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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Kaohsiung vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,819 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,517 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kaohsiung costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kaohsiung and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kaohsiung 18% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 NT$171

$2.08 ฿69.2

158.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.67 NT$1,005

$19.64 ฿651

61.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 NT$154

$5.65 ฿188

-14.16%

Cappuccino

$2.81 NT$89.1

$1.81 ฿59.9

55.25%

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

$1.08 NT$34.26

$0.71 ฿23.66

52.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$20.98

$0.32 ฿10.48

106.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 NT$49.58

$2.24 ฿74.2

-30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 NT$78.2

$3.63 ฿121

-32.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.18 NT$101

$1.96 ฿65.0

62.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 NT$68.8

$1.50 ฿49.83

44.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 NT$97.2

$1.34 ฿44.32

128.36%

Eggs

$2.57 NT$81.6

$2.26 ฿75.1

13.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 NT$496

$16.26 ฿539

-3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.94 NT$252

$2.95 ฿98.0

169.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.18 NT$482

$9.94 ฿330

52.72%

Apples (1kg)

$6.56 NT$208

$2.57 ฿85.3

155.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 NT$87.6

$1.06 ฿35.04

160.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 NT$81.1

$1.61 ฿53.5

59.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 NT$98.0

$1.52 ฿50.4

103.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 NT$84.7

$1.27 ฿42.14

110.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 NT$65.6

$1.07 ฿35.37

93.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 NT$75.5

$0.72 ฿23.89

230.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NT$34.11

$0.51 ฿16.87

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 NT$133

$4.19 ฿139

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.86 NT$503

$17.87 ฿593

-11.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 NT$52.8

$1.69 ฿56.2

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 NT$71.1

$2.84 ฿94.1

-21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 NT$23.41

$0.93 ฿30.70

-20.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.69 NT$402

$53.9 ฿1,787

-76.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 NT$83.4

$1.23 ฿40.95

113.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 NT$24.00

$0.58 ฿19.13

31.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 NT$176

$2.42 ฿80.4

128.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$32.99

$1.41 ฿46.84

-26.24%

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

$34.2K NT$1.1M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

59.61%

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

$23.9K NT$759.4K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-12.43%

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

$86.3 NT$2,739

$63.7 ฿2,112

35.61%

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

$17.06 NT$541

$12.85 ฿426

32.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.21 NT$831

$20.22 ฿671

29.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.20 NT$1,275

$38.74 ฿1,285

3.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.70 NT$339

$3.97 ฿132

169.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.24 NT$357

$6.74 ฿223

66.77%

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

$465 NT$14.7K

$778 ฿25.8K

-40.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K NT$455.2K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-1.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 NT$2,941

$54.3 ฿1,801

70.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.78 NT$1,072

$25.45 ฿844

32.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 NT$2,750

$94.3 ฿3,129

-8.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,203

$73.4 ฿2,436

37.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 NT$13.0K

$490 ฿16.2K

-16.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$8,899

$289 ฿9,596

-3.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 NT$31.3K

$894 ฿29.6K

10.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 NT$21.8K

$517 ฿17.1K

33.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,665 NT$148.0K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

138.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,188 NT$101.1K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

115.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,434 NT$45.5K

$602 ฿20.0K

138.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.56

5.57

-54.04%

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

Last update for Kaohsiung: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Kaohsiung versus $490 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.

Salaries run about 138% higher in Kaohsiung, 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 $32.00 in Kaohsiung versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $240 – 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

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

Kaohsiung costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,682 per month in Kaohsiung and $1,421 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 $465 per month in Kaohsiung and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Kaohsiung, 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 $947, than in Kaohsiung at $1,121. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kaohsiung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,121 in Kaohsiung. 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, Kaohsiung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.