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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $883 per month in Kerak vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Kerak vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,837 per month in Kerak vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kerak costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kerak and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kerak 34% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 JOD 2.03

$1.94 ฿63.5

47.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.03 JOD 34.70

$18.64 ฿609

163.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 JOD 3.89

$7.82 ฿255

-29.80%

Cappuccino

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$1.95 ฿63.8

-62.56%

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

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$0.85 ฿27.77

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 JOD 0.26

$0.35 ฿11.58

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 JOD 3.87

$2.13 ฿69.6

156.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 JOD 4.90

$3.73 ฿122

85.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.71 ฿56.0

-15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 JOD 0.24

$1.63 ฿53.2

-79.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 JOD 0.59

$1.14 ฿37.15

-26.32%

Eggs

$1.72 JOD 1.22

$1.93 ฿63.1

-10.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 JOD 4.67

$16.21 ฿530

-59.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 JOD 2.97

$3.12 ฿102

34.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.66 JOD 8.25

$10.90 ฿356

6.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$2.75 ฿90.0

-49.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 JOD 1.01

$1.21 ฿39.52

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.62 ฿53.0

-13.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 JOD 0.31

$1.59 ฿51.8

-72.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 JOD 0.62

$1.40 ฿45.70

-37.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$1.17 ฿38.17

-38.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$0.66 ฿21.60

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 JOD 0.42

$0.53 ฿17.22

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 JOD 2.44

$4.69 ฿153

-26.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.05 JOD 14.90

$18.66 ฿609

12.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 JOD 3.27

$1.80 ฿58.8

156.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 JOD 3.85

$3.23 ฿106

68.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 JOD 0.53

$1.41 ฿45.91

-47.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.29 ฿42.12

7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.01 JOD 4.96

$7.84 ฿256

-10.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.27 ฿41.58

9.45%

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

$27.5K JOD 19.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

29.12%

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

$31.8K JOD 22.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

43.12%

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

$105 JOD 74.0

$69.1 ฿2,256

51.43%

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

$17.02 JOD 12.04

$14.08 ฿460

20.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 JOD 20.28

$18.00 ฿588

59.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.00 JOD 30.43

$41.06 ฿1,341

4.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 JOD 7.92

$5.92 ฿193

89.02%

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

$139 JOD 98.7

$299 ฿9,766

-53.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,405 JOD 2,410

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-77.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 JOD 43.18

$54.7 ฿1,787

11.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 JOD 40.47

$26.77 ฿874

113.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 JOD 79.6

$85.0 ฿2,776

32.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 JOD 57.9

$70.6 ฿2,306

15.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 JOD 127

$428 ฿14.0K

-57.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 JOD 159

$237 ฿7,752

-5.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 JOD 196

$801 ฿26.2K

-65.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 JOD 231

$515 ฿16.8K

-36.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$211 JOD 149

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-89.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$282 JOD 200

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-80.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$513 JOD 363

$617 ฿20.2K

-16.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

45.40%

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

Last update for Kerak: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $180 in Kerak 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.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Kerak versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Kerak vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Kerak wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Kerak costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,324 per month in Kerak 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Kerak and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Kerak – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $883 in Kerak and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $883 in Kerak. 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, Kerak makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.