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 $1,227 per month in Kelcyre vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Kelcyre vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,558 per month in Kelcyre vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kelcyre costs about 42% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kelcyre and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kelcyre 8% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 ALL 968

$1.94 ฿63.5

509.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 ALL 4,886

$18.64 ฿609

220.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 ALL 784

$7.82 ฿255

22.63%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ALL 169

$1.95 ฿63.8

5.64%

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

$1.83 ALL 150

$0.85 ฿27.77

115.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ALL 75.5

$0.35 ฿11.58

162.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 ALL 247

$2.13 ฿69.6

41.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ALL 334

$3.73 ฿122

9.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 174

$1.71 ฿56.0

23.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ALL 92.1

$1.63 ฿53.2

-30.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ALL 176

$1.14 ฿37.15

88.60%

Eggs

$3.96 ALL 324

$1.93 ฿63.1

105.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.88 ALL 1,054

$16.21 ฿530

-20.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 ALL 616

$3.12 ฿102

141.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.83 ALL 1,295

$10.90 ฿356

45.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ALL 144

$2.75 ฿90.0

-36.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 ALL 225

$1.21 ฿39.52

127.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 ALL 161

$1.62 ฿53.0

20.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 ALL 164

$1.59 ฿51.8

25.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ALL 109

$1.40 ฿45.70

-5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 104

$1.17 ฿38.17

8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ALL 124

$0.66 ฿21.60

128.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ALL 62.0

$0.53 ฿17.22

43.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ALL 343

$4.69 ฿153

-10.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.03 ALL 902

$18.66 ฿609

-40.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ALL 134

$1.80 ฿58.8

-9.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ALL 174

$3.23 ฿106

-34.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 40.27

$0.90 ฿29.26

-45.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.82 ALL 1,540

$19.21 ฿628

-2.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ALL 285

$1.41 ฿45.91

146.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 ALL 253

$1.29 ฿42.12

139.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.34 ALL 1,418

$7.84 ฿256

121.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 ALL 177

$1.27 ฿41.58

70.08%

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

$39.4K ALL 3.2M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

85.26%

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

$36.0K ALL 2.9M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

61.97%

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

$108 ALL 8,870

$69.1 ฿2,256

56.97%

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

$18.18 ALL 1,487

$14.08 ฿460

29.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.11 ALL 1,481

$18.00 ฿588

0.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 ALL 4,516

$41.06 ฿1,341

34.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.81 ALL 2,030

$6.96 ฿227

256.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 ALL 790

$5.92 ฿193

63.18%

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

$160 ALL 13.1K

$299 ฿9,766

-46.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,562 ALL 455.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-62.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 ALL 5,590

$54.7 ฿1,787

24.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 ALL 4,121

$26.77 ฿874

88.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ALL 8,857

$85.0 ฿2,776

27.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ALL 10.5K

$70.6 ฿2,306

82.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 ALL 37.3K

$428 ฿14.0K

6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 ALL 27.6K

$237 ฿7,752

42.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ALL 50.2K

$801 ฿26.2K

-23.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ALL 35.7K

$515 ฿16.8K

-15.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,756 ALL 143.7K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-11.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,257 ALL 102.8K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-14.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

10.40%

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

Last update for Kelcyre: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $456 in Kelcyre versus $428 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 $60.0 in Kelcyre versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $246 – 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 42% 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 $1,840 per month in Kelcyre and $1,300 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 $160 per month in Kelcyre and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $866, than in Kelcyre at $1,227. 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 $866 versus $1,227 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.