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 $1,186 per month in Kaohsiung vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,952 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,719 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kaohsiung costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kaohsiung and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kaohsiung 11% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 NT$133

$1.96 ฿65.7

110.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.84 NT$1,095

$18.35 ฿616

84.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.39 NT$174

$7.48 ฿251

-27.94%

Cappuccino

$2.96 NT$96.0

$2.02 ฿67.7

46.53%

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

$0.98 NT$31.85

$0.85 ฿28.45

15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 NT$24.61

$0.36 ฿11.94

111.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 NT$56.2

$2.14 ฿71.7

-18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 NT$87.4

$3.59 ฿121

-24.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.55 NT$115

$1.65 ฿55.4

115.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NT$63.9

$1.57 ฿52.6

25.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 NT$85.1

$1.19 ฿39.95

121.01%

Eggs

$3.21 NT$104

$1.94 ฿65.0

65.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.90 NT$515

$16.19 ฿544

-1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 NT$307

$2.99 ฿100

217.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.68 NT$572

$10.94 ฿367

61.61%

Apples (1kg)

$6.13 NT$198

$2.71 ฿91.0

126.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 NT$82.7

$1.17 ฿39.18

117.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 NT$91.2

$1.69 ฿56.6

66.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 NT$130

$1.60 ฿53.9

151.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 NT$95.8

$1.38 ฿46.45

114.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 NT$72.9

$1.20 ฿40.38

87.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 NT$61.1

$0.67 ฿22.46

182.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NT$37.24

$0.56 ฿18.70

105.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 NT$139

$4.64 ฿156

-7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 NT$494

$17.62 ฿591

-13.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 NT$55.5

$1.86 ฿62.4

-8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$82.9

$3.30 ฿111

-22.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 NT$28.33

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.22 NT$881

$19.34 ฿649

40.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 NT$92.5

$1.36 ฿45.82

110.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$25.00

$1.34 ฿44.90

-42.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 NT$203

$8.21 ฿276

-23.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$33.26

$1.22 ฿41.11

-15.57%

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

$34.1K NT$1.1M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

59.73%

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

$24.9K NT$807.0K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

10.67%

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

$104 NT$3,377

$70.7 ฿2,372

47.66%

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

$24.88 NT$805

$14.04 ฿471

77.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.03 NT$810

$17.49 ฿587

43.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.26 NT$1,271

$42.15 ฿1,415

-6.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 NT$363

$6.88 ฿231

62.79%

Cinema Ticket

$10.35 NT$335

$5.92 ฿199

74.83%

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

$422 NT$13.7K

$309 ฿10.4K

36.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K NT$362.3K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-24.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.4 NT$3,088

$55.8 ฿1,872

71.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 NT$1,140

$26.11 ฿877

34.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 NT$2,867

$83.0 ฿2,787

6.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,329

$70.5 ฿2,365

45.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 NT$14.1K

$432 ฿14.5K

1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 NT$8,880

$239 ฿8,020

14.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 NT$30.2K

$822 ฿27.6K

13.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 NT$22.8K

$512 ฿17.2K

37.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,554 NT$147.4K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

137.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,076 NT$99.6K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

109.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 NT$48.6K

$579 ฿19.4K

159.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.3

-54.00%

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

Last update for Kaohsiung: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Kaohsiung 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.

Salaries run about 159% 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 $34.00 in Kaohsiung versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 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

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

Kaohsiung costs about 38% 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 $1,779 per month in Kaohsiung 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 $422 per month in Kaohsiung 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 57% 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 $861, than in Kaohsiung at $1,186. 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 $861 versus $1,186 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.