For one person, living is cheaper in Kawasoti: $331 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Kawasoti 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 Kawasoti and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $331 per month in Kawasoti vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Kawasoti $331
Chiang Mai $936
A couple spends around $541 per month in Kawasoti vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Kawasoti $541
Chiang Mai $1,457
A family of three spends $750 per month in Kawasoti vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Kawasoti $750
Chiang Mai $1,979
🙂
Kawasoti is about 65% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both Kawasoti and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kawasoti76% lower, Chiang Mai31% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Kawasoti
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.99NPR 303
$2.24฿75.7
-11.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.31NPR 3,088
$19.00฿642
6.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.43NPR 1,130
$5.55฿188
33.87%
Cappuccino
$1.58NPR 240
$1.67฿56.6
-5.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52NPR 78.9
$0.64฿21.56
-18.75%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14NPR 20.61
$0.31฿10.32
-54.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19NPR 485
$2.36฿79.6
35.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24NPR 493
$3.66฿124
-11.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kawasoti
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.76NPR 116
$1.95฿65.8
-61.03%
White Bread(500g)
$0.51NPR 77.1
$1.44฿48.51
-64.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.92NPR 140
$1.33฿45.07
-30.83%
Eggs
$1.67NPR 253
$2.28฿77.1
-26.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.19NPR 1,094
$16.45฿556
-56.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.66NPR 405
$2.78฿94.0
-4.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.17NPR 939
$9.31฿314
-33.73%
Apples(1kg)
$2.08NPR 316
$2.35฿79.5
-11.49%
Banana(1kg)
$0.77NPR 116
$0.97฿32.82
-20.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.64NPR 96.9
$1.60฿53.9
-60.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.45NPR 68.4
$1.50฿50.7
-70.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.32NPR 48.07
$1.28฿43.15
-75.00%
Onion(1kg)
$0.47NPR 72.0
$1.10฿37.22
-57.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.35NPR 52.7
$0.71฿23.84
-50.70%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24NPR 36.68
$0.49฿16.38
-51.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.43NPR 370
$4.14฿140
-41.30%
Wine(Bottle)
$2.69NPR 409
$17.52฿592
-84.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.19NPR 334
$1.61฿54.5
36.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67NPR 405
$2.78฿94.0
-3.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Kawasoti
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.17NPR 26.05
$0.87฿29.33
-80.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$54.1฿1,827
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.68NPR 103
$1.16฿39.08
-41.38%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.85NPR 129
$0.53฿17.82
60.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.93NPR 294
$2.42฿81.8
-20.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.14NPR 173
$1.45฿48.93
-21.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9KNPR 5.5M
$21.1K฿711.2K
70.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0KNPR 5.6M
$26.9K฿909.8K
37.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kawasoti
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$16.10NPR 2,448
$62.2฿2,100
-74.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.22NPR 489
$12.17฿411
-73.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.65NPR 1,010
$20.12฿680
-66.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kawasoti
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.44NPR 2,956
$37.31฿1,260
-47.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.61NPR 1,005
$3.77฿127
75.33%
Cinema Ticket
$1.66NPR 253
$6.49฿219
-74.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kawasoti
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$65.0NPR 9,888
$736฿24.9K
-91.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,454NPR 829.3K
$14.8K฿498.6K
-63.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kawasoti
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.36NPR 2,031
$53.4฿1,802
-74.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$9.79NPR 1,489
$24.64฿832
-60.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$19.90NPR 3,025
$91.5฿3,089
-78.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$9.82NPR 1,494
$71.9฿2,429
-86.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kawasoti
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$66.1NPR 10.1K
$482฿16.3K
-86.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$46.76NPR 7,110
$309฿10.4K
-84.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$97.0NPR 14.8K
$1,006฿34.0K
-90.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$65.2NPR 9,920
$633฿21.4K
-89.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,363฿79.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,589฿53.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kawasoti
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$232NPR 35.2K
$590฿19.9K
-60.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.98
5.57
79.17%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kawasoti: October 26, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kawasoti
$124 37.5%
Chiang Mai
$234 25.1% ↑ 88.9%$110
🍽Eating Out
Kawasoti
$82 24.8%
Chiang Mai
$78 8.3% ↓ 5.6%$4.6
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kawasoti
$47 14.1%
Chiang Mai
$309 33% ↑ 561%$262
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kawasoti
$26 7.8%
Chiang Mai
$94 10.1% ↑ 264%$69
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kawasoti
$24 7.2%
Chiang Mai
$109 11.6% ↑ 357%$85
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kawasoti
$23 6.9%
Chiang Mai
$50 5.4% ↑ 121%$28
🚌Getting Around
Kawasoti
$5.6 * 1.7%
Chiang Mai
$61 6.6% ↑ 996%$56
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kawasoti
$284 37.9%
Chiang Mai
$526 26.6% ↑ 84.9%$241
🍽Eating Out
Kawasoti
$255 34%
Chiang Mai
$242 12.3% ↓ 4.8%$12
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kawasoti
$65 8.7%
Chiang Mai
$633 32% ↑ 871%$568
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kawasoti
$29 3.9%
Chiang Mai
$107 5.4% ↑ 265%$77
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kawasoti
$53 7.1%
Chiang Mai
$241 12.2% ↑ 357%$189
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kawasoti
$52 7%
Chiang Mai
$104 5.3% ↑ 100%$52
🚌Getting Around
Kawasoti
$12 * 1.5%
Chiang Mai
$124 6.3% ↑ 979%$113
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $66 in Kawasoti versus $482 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 in Chiang Mai are about 2.5 times higher, 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 $20 in Kawasoti versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $124 in Kawasoti vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Kawasoti wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Kawasoti→Chiang Mai1,810 km≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
Kawasoti
Chiang Mai
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Kawasoti vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kawasoti or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 183% more than Kawasoti, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kawasoti and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $497 per month in Kawasoti and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kawasoti or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kawasoti, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $66 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do dining costs compare in Kawasoti and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Kawasoti and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Kawasoti or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 89% 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.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Kawasoti or in Chiang Mai?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $331 in Kawasoti and $936 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Kawasoti – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Kawasoti compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Kawasoti or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Kawasoti. 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.