Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kerman and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Kerman: $508 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Kerman
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Kerman Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Kerman

🇮🇷 Iran

$508

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kerman and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kerman and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $508 per month in Kerman vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kerman $508
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $874 per month in Kerman vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kerman $874
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $1,239 per month in Kerman vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kerman $1,239
Chiang Mai $1,914

Kerman is about 46% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kerman and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kerman 62% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 $4.10

$2.26 ฿75.4

81.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.83 $17.83

$19.18 ฿641

-7.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 $3.92

$5.59 ฿187

-29.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.71 $0.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

Cappuccino

$1.13 $1.13

$1.72 ฿57.6

-34.30%

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

$0.70 $0.70

$0.64 ฿21.54

9.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.33 ฿11.18

193.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$0.56 $0.56

$2.05 ฿68.6

-72.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.40 ฿46.70

-62.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.28 ฿42.89

111.72%

Eggs

$1.15 $1.15

$2.25 ฿75.3

-48.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$16.94 ฿566

-74.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.74 ฿91.6

-27.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 $10.11

$9.36 ฿313

8.01%

Apples (1kg)

$0.63 $0.63

$2.40 ฿80.3

-73.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.01 ฿33.92

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.61 ฿53.9

-48.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.52 ฿50.7

-62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 $0.39

$1.28 ฿42.90

-69.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 $0.39

$1.11 ฿37.22

-64.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 $0.56

$0.72 ฿24.09

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.52 ฿17.54

-61.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.84 $0.84

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 $1.33

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.46 $1.46

$4.33 ฿145

-66.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 $0.13

$0.85 ฿28.31

-84.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.47 $9.47

$53.9 ฿1,801

-82.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 $0.41

$1.17 ฿39.18

-64.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 $0.32

$0.57 ฿19.00

-43.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.37 ฿79.2

2.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.08 $0.08

$1.45 ฿48.32

-94.48%

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

$46.2K $46.2K

$20.5K ฿684.3K

125.61%

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

$41.7K $41.7K

$26.5K ฿886.1K

57.46%

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

$11.11 $11.11

$62.3 ฿2,083

-82.18%

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

$1.60 $1.60

$12.27 ฿410

-86.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.67 $3.67

$19.97 ฿668

-81.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.79 $12.79

$37.91 ฿1,267

-66.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.77 $13.77

$3.76 ฿126

266.22%

Cinema Ticket

$1.95 $1.95

$6.71 ฿224

-70.94%

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

$107 $107

$797 ฿26.6K

-86.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,436 $2,436

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-83.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.35 $22.35

$53.3 ฿1,780

-58.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.2 $65.2

$25.05 ฿837

160.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$91.6 ฿3,062

39.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 $57.0

$73.5 ฿2,455

-22.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 $338

$464 ฿15.5K

-27.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 $168

$305 ฿10.2K

-44.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 $835

$915 ฿30.6K

-8.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 $395

$552 ฿18.5K

-28.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$914 $914

$1,912 ฿63.9K

-52.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 $507

$1,438 ฿48.1K

-64.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 $201

$595 ฿19.9K

-66.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.3

5.57

336.27%

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

Last update for Kerman: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kerman

$168 33.1%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 81.3% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Kerman

$123 24.1%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 10.7% $13

Groceries & Markets

Kerman

$108 21.2%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 121% $130

Eating Out

Kerman

$65 12.8%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 21.9% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Kerman

$17 3.3%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 208% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kerman

$16 3.2%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 478% $78

Getting Around

Kerman

$12 2.4%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 411% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $338 in Kerman versus $464 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 196% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $18.00 in Kerman versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $238 – making Kerman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Kerman

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

00:58 12:58 AM

04:28 4:28 AM

3 h 30 min ahead of Kerman

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

537,718

127,240

💱 Currency

USD USD

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kerman Chiang Mai 4,400 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Kerman
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Kerman, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $762 per month in Kerman and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kerman, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Kerman and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 121% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kerman, where all-in costs run around $508, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Kerman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kerman costs $508 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. 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 Kerman. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.