Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaj: $833 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

40

Cost of Living Index in Karaj
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Karaj Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Karaj

🇮🇷 Iran

$833

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karaj and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Karaj and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $833 per month in Karaj vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Karaj $833
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $1,062 per month in Karaj vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Karaj $1,062
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $1,291 per month in Karaj vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Karaj $1,291
Chiang Mai $1,903

Karaj is about 10% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Karaj and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Karaj 39% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 $3.64

$2.29 ฿76.5

58.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.73 $16.73

$19.64 ฿656

-14.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.89 $3.89

$5.61 ฿188

-30.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 $0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

Cappuccino

$1.10 $1.10

$1.66 ฿55.6

-33.73%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$0.70 ฿23.40

-38.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.31 ฿10.24

432.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 $0.66

$1.95 ฿65.3

-66.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 $0.48

$1.41 ฿47.03

-65.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.31 ฿43.62

59.54%

Eggs

$1.07 $1.07

$2.18 ฿72.9

-50.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$16.65 ฿556

-73.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.76 ฿92.2

20.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.29 $10.29

$9.11 ฿304

12.95%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.39 ฿80.0

-61.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.03 ฿34.26

66.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.63 ฿54.4

-53.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.50 ฿50.0

-67.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 $0.43

$1.29 ฿43.13

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 $0.48

$1.11 ฿37.03

-56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 $0.58

$0.72 ฿24.08

-19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 $0.17

$0.53 ฿17.59

-67.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.82 $0.82

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 $2.45

$4.31 ฿144

-43.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.86 ฿28.86

-77.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.90 $12.90

$53.3 ฿1,780

-75.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 $0.29

$1.21 ฿40.29

-76.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.57 ฿18.99

-49.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.35 ฿78.6

11.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.10 $0.10

$1.44 ฿47.96

-93.06%

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

$50.1K $50.1K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

141.72%

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

$45.1K $45.1K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

68.41%

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

$13.06 $13.06

$62.3 ฿2,083

-79.05%

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

$1.65 $1.65

$12.11 ฿405

-86.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.72 $3.72

$19.94 ฿666

-81.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.16 $23.16

$37.07 ฿1,239

-37.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.94 $9.94

$3.78 ฿126

162.96%

Cinema Ticket

$1.10 $1.10

$6.50 ฿217

-83.08%

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

$107 $107

$793 ฿26.5K

-86.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$837 $837

$14.8K ฿494.9K

-94.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.51 $24.51

$53.7 ฿1,796

-54.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.24 $28.24

$24.62 ฿823

14.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$90.9 ฿3,036

7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 $76.4

$71.1 ฿2,378

7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$287 $287

$455 ฿15.2K

-37.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 $498

$298 ฿9,954

67.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 $818

$908 ฿30.4K

-9.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 $470

$554 ฿18.5K

-15.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,267 $1,267

$1,931 ฿64.5K

-34.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$536 $536

$1,445 ฿48.3K

-62.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 $248

$591 ฿19.7K

-57.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

312.93%

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

Last update for Karaj: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Karaj

$498 59.7%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 40.2% $200

Groceries & Markets

Karaj

$112 13.4%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 111% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Karaj

$102 12.2%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 6.1% $6.2

Eating Out

Karaj

$62 7.5%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 25.9% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Karaj

$25 3.1%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 97.3% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karaj

$18 2.2%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 412% $76

Getting Around

Karaj

$15 1.9%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 294% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $287 in Karaj versus $455 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 Chiang Mai, 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 $17.00 in Karaj versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $112 vs $235 – making Karaj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Karaj

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

14:21 2:21 PM

17:51 5:51 PM

3 h 30 min ahead of Karaj

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,712,000

127,240

💱 Currency

USD USD

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Karaj Chiang Mai 5,050 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Karaj
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Karaj, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,250 per month in Karaj and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karaj, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Karaj and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 111% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Karaj, where all-in costs run around $833, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Karaj 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. Karaj costs $833 versus $925 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 Karaj. 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.