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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,221 per month in Kelcyre vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,882 per month in Kelcyre vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,544 per month in Kelcyre vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kelcyre costs about 29% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kelcyre and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kelcyre 11% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.05 ALL 794

$2.10 ฿69.3

378.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 ALL 4,208

$19.84 ฿656

168.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 ALL 882

$5.79 ฿191

92.92%

Cappuccino

$2.38 ALL 188

$1.83 ฿60.4

30.05%

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

$2.49 ALL 197

$0.78 ฿25.61

219.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ALL 106

$0.31 ฿10.37

335.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ALL 283

$2.34 ฿77.2

52.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 ALL 336

$3.70 ฿122

14.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 ALL 182

$2.03 ฿67.1

13.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ALL 97.3

$1.60 ฿52.7

-23.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ALL 191

$1.42 ฿46.75

69.72%

Eggs

$3.79 ALL 299

$2.18 ฿71.9

73.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.66 ALL 1,079

$15.91 ฿526

-14.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 ALL 737

$3.07 ฿102

203.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.26 ALL 1,363

$9.87 ฿326

74.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ALL 153

$2.63 ฿86.8

-26.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ALL 198

$1.10 ฿36.19

127.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ALL 181

$1.63 ฿53.8

40.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ALL 147

$1.53 ฿50.6

21.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ALL 81.4

$1.24 ฿41.13

-16.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ALL 102

$1.13 ฿37.37

14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ALL 117

$0.74 ฿24.38

101.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ALL 63.2

$0.50 ฿16.48

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 ALL 395

$4.28 ฿141

16.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 ALL 900

$17.97 ฿594

-36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ALL 142

$1.70 ฿56.1

5.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ALL 162

$2.90 ฿95.7

-29.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 38.17

$0.94 ฿31.13

-48.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.02 ALL 1,582

$55.3 ฿1,827

-63.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ALL 306

$1.23 ฿40.76

214.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.83 ALL 303

$0.53 ฿17.66

622.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.05 ALL 1,505

$2.40 ฿79.3

693.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.40 ALL 190

$1.44 ฿47.55

66.67%

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

$35.3K ALL 2.8M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

66.46%

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

$37.0K ALL 2.9M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

35.51%

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

$103 ALL 8,146

$64.9 ฿2,145

58.85%

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

$18.88 ALL 1,491

$13.35 ฿441

41.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.80 ALL 1,643

$20.83 ฿688

-0.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ALL 4,559

$40.42 ฿1,336

42.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 ALL 788

$6.71 ฿222

48.73%

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

$349 ALL 27.6K

$787 ฿26.0K

-55.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,304 ALL 655.8K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-45.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.80 ALL 3,933

$56.2 ฿1,858

-11.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.27 ALL 3,812

$24.95 ฿824

93.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ALL 9,704

$92.7 ฿3,063

32.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ALL 9,203

$75.1 ฿2,482

55.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ALL 38.7K

$484 ฿16.0K

1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 ALL 26.6K

$287 ฿9,491

17.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 ALL 57.2K

$910 ฿30.1K

-20.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 ALL 37.4K

$531 ฿17.5K

-10.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,875 ALL 148.1K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-5.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,256 ALL 99.2K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-13.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

5.57

1.26%

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

Last update for Kelcyre: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Kelcyre versus $484 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Kelcyre versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $242 – 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

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

Kelcyre costs about 29% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,832 per month in Kelcyre and $1,426 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 $349 per month in Kelcyre and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Kelcyre, 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 $950, than in Kelcyre at $1,221. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kelcyre it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,221 in Kelcyre. 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, Kelcyre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.