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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Keelung vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,068 per month in Keelung vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,843 per month in Keelung vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Keelung costs about 52% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Keelung and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Keelung 3% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 NT$159

$1.96 ฿64.0

155.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.90 NT$946

$18.81 ฿615

58.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NT$175

$7.92 ฿259

-30.05%

Cappuccino

$2.93 NT$92.8

$1.91 ฿62.6

53.40%

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

$1.15 NT$36.25

$0.84 ฿27.41

36.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 NT$24.80

$0.35 ฿11.51

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 NT$68.5

$2.21 ฿72.1

-2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 NT$90.0

$3.80 ฿124

-25.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.34 NT$106

$1.64 ฿53.5

103.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 NT$47.67

$1.62 ฿53.1

-6.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 NT$37.40

$1.18 ฿38.62

Eggs

$2.42 NT$76.6

$2.01 ฿65.8

20.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.90 NT$1,010

$15.89 ฿520

100.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 NT$191

$3.01 ฿98.5

100.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 NT$507

$10.77 ฿352

48.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 NT$145

$2.61 ฿85.5

75.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 NT$57.3

$1.22 ฿39.88

48.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 NT$72.4

$1.70 ฿55.7

34.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$97.0

$1.58 ฿51.5

94.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 NT$42.32

$1.32 ฿43.14

1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 NT$59.0

$1.17 ฿38.23

58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 NT$73.4

$0.67 ฿21.98

246.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NT$39.54

$0.56 ฿18.32

123.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 NT$125

$4.53 ฿148

-12.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.74 NT$308

$18.20 ฿595

-46.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.23

$1.83 ฿60.0

-35.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 NT$83.1

$3.23 ฿106

-18.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 NT$16.55

$0.89 ฿29.00

-41.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.7 NT$2,110

$19.38 ฿634

244.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 NT$88.7

$1.35 ฿44.20

107.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 NT$37.29

$1.35 ฿44.05

-12.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$327

$8.25 ฿270

25.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$31.98

$1.27 ฿41.64

-20.47%

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

59.95%

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

$26.3K NT$831.5K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

16.83%

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

$43.89 NT$1,389

$70.2 ฿2,294

-37.43%

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

$24.95 NT$790

$13.77 ฿450

81.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.06 NT$382

$17.60 ฿575

-31.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.38 NT$1,183

$41.57 ฿1,360

-10.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.82 NT$1,071

$6.60 ฿216

412.42%

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 NT$268

$5.78 ฿189

46.19%

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

$357 NT$11.3K

$306 ฿10.0K

16.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K NT$667.9K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

42.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.0 NT$2,659

$54.4 ฿1,778

54.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 NT$1,104

$26.14 ฿855

33.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.5 NT$1,629

$84.5 ฿2,764

-39.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.41 NT$1,058

$69.4 ฿2,270

-51.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 NT$19.5K

$424 ฿13.9K

45.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 NT$16.0K

$238 ฿7,788

112.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 NT$36.0K

$825 ฿27.0K

38.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$998 NT$31.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

93.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,451 NT$109.2K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

68.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,362 NT$74.8K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

55.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,442 NT$77.3K

$635 ฿20.8K

284.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

-56.40%

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

Last update for Keelung: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $617 in Keelung versus $424 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 284% higher in Keelung, 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 $30.00 in Keelung versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 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

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

Keelung costs about 52% 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 $1,941 per month in Keelung and $1,278 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 $357 per month in Keelung and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Keelung, 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 $852, than in Keelung at $1,294. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Keelung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,294 in Keelung. 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, Keelung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.