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 $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,890 per month in Kelcyre vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,552 per month in Kelcyre vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kelcyre costs about 43% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 ALL 944

$1.96 ฿65.9

490.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 ALL 4,740

$18.35 ฿617

216.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 ALL 747

$7.48 ฿252

22.46%

Cappuccino

$1.99 ALL 163

$2.02 ฿67.8

-1.49%

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

$1.84 ALL 150

$0.85 ฿28.52

116.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ALL 74.2

$0.36 ฿11.97

152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 ALL 243

$2.14 ฿71.9

39.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ALL 333

$3.59 ฿121

13.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ALL 170

$1.65 ฿55.5

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ALL 89.6

$1.57 ฿52.7

-29.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ALL 182

$1.19 ฿40.05

87.39%

Eggs

$3.96 ALL 323

$1.94 ฿65.1

104.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 ALL 1,074

$16.19 ฿545

-18.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 ALL 630

$2.99 ฿101

158.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.71 ALL 1,281

$10.94 ฿368

43.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 ALL 140

$2.71 ฿91.2

-36.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 ALL 216

$1.17 ฿39.27

126.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 ALL 168

$1.69 ฿56.8

21.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ALL 156

$1.60 ฿54.0

19.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$1.38 ฿46.56

-5.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 107

$1.20 ฿40.47

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ALL 123

$0.67 ฿22.51

123.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 60.4

$0.56 ฿18.74

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ALL 347

$4.64 ฿156

-8.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 ALL 853

$17.62 ฿593

-40.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ALL 129

$1.86 ฿62.6

-14.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ALL 175

$3.30 ฿111

-34.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.76

$0.88 ฿29.70

-44.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.04 ALL 1,553

$19.34 ฿651

-1.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ALL 292

$1.36 ฿45.92

163.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 ALL 259

$1.34 ฿45.00

137.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.87 ALL 1,457

$8.21 ฿276

117.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 ALL 175

$1.22 ฿41.20

75.41%

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

$40.0K ALL 3.3M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

87.28%

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

$35.9K ALL 2.9M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

59.19%

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

$105 ALL 8,563

$70.7 ฿2,378

48.58%

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

$18.22 ALL 1,485

$14.04 ฿472

29.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.45 ALL 1,504

$17.49 ฿589

5.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ALL 4,514

$42.15 ฿1,418

31.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.70 ALL 2,096

$6.88 ฿231

273.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.62 ALL 785

$5.92 ฿199

62.50%

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

$160 ALL 13.1K

$309 ฿10.4K

-48.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,523 ALL 450.4K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-62.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 ALL 5,549

$55.8 ฿1,876

22.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 ALL 4,083

$26.11 ฿879

91.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ALL 8,842

$83.0 ฿2,793

30.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ALL 10.5K

$70.5 ฿2,371

82.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 ALL 36.4K

$432 ฿14.5K

3.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 ALL 27.5K

$239 ฿8,040

40.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ALL 50.0K

$822 ฿27.7K

-25.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 ALL 35.2K

$512 ฿17.2K

-15.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,732 ALL 141.2K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-9.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,208 ALL 98.5K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-17.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $447 in Kelcyre versus $432 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 $58.0 in Kelcyre versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 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

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

Kelcyre costs about 43% 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 $1,841 per month in Kelcyre and $1,292 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 $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $861, 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 $861 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.