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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $739 per month in Khemisset vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in Khemisset vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,465 per month in Khemisset vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Khemisset is about 13% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Khemisset and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Khemisset 44% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 MAD 18.36

$2.04 ฿68.4

-3.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.34 MAD 153

$18.71 ฿626

-12.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 MAD 66.1

$7.86 ฿263

-10.43%

Cappuccino

$0.90 MAD 8.47

$2.03 ฿67.9

-55.67%

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

$0.39 MAD 3.68

$0.80 ฿26.71

-51.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MAD 2.17

$0.35 ฿11.71

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 MAD 35.19

$2.14 ฿71.7

75.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 MAD 31.04

$3.67 ฿123

-9.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 MAD 5.47

$1.73 ฿57.8

-66.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 MAD 3.68

$1.57 ฿52.5

-75.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MAD 13.73

$1.20 ฿40.10

21.67%

Eggs

$1.99 MAD 18.64

$1.97 ฿66.0

1.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 MAD 96.3

$16.23 ฿543

-36.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.99 MAD 65.6

$3.06 ฿102

128.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.99 MAD 84.4

$10.80 ฿361

-16.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MAD 9.54

$2.77 ฿92.6

-63.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 MAD 8.12

$1.17 ฿39.05

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.64 MAD 5.99

$1.71 ฿57.1

-62.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 MAD 4.25

$1.59 ฿53.3

-71.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.46

$1.39 ฿46.63

-50.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 MAD 5.94

$1.16 ฿38.67

-45.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MAD 5.09

$0.66 ฿22.11

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MAD 5.80

$0.52 ฿17.35

19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MAD 40.45

$4.65 ฿155

-7.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.77 MAD 91.7

$17.78 ฿595

-45.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 MAD 30.52

$1.79 ฿59.8

81.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MAD 31.78

$3.34 ฿112

1.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.38

$0.91 ฿30.35

-48.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.14 MAD 151

$18.64 ฿624

-13.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 MAD 5.35

$1.41 ฿47.17

-59.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.87

$1.34 ฿44.82

-61.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MAD 41.97

$8.11 ฿271

-44.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MAD 14.59

$1.23 ฿41.27

26.83%

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

$36.9K MAD 346.0K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

72.02%

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

$23.8K MAD 223.4K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

9.07%

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

$84.7 MAD 794

$71.3 ฿2,386

18.67%

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

$6.41 MAD 60.2

$14.01 ฿469

-54.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.88 MAD 374

$17.93 ฿600

122.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.46 MAD 126

$40.82 ฿1,365

-67.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.77 MAD 214

$6.88 ฿230

230.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 MAD 68.0

$5.72 ฿191

26.57%

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

$97.8 MAD 918

$308 ฿10.3K

-68.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,433 MAD 60.4K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-56.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.64 MAD 287

$55.8 ฿1,865

-45.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.95 MAD 431

$26.04 ฿871

76.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 MAD 835

$84.8 ฿2,837

4.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 MAD 773

$71.0 ฿2,375

15.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MAD 2,594

$423 ฿14.2K

-34.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 MAD 1,609

$242 ฿8,110

-29.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 MAD 4,711

$797 ฿26.7K

-37.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MAD 2,821

$507 ฿17.0K

-40.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 MAD 10.4K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

-42.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$895 MAD 8,396

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-38.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$397 MAD 3,728

$595 ฿19.9K

-33.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.35

-13.00%

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

Last update for Khemisset: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Khemisset versus $423 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 50% 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 $16.00 in Khemisset versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $244 – making Khemisset 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Khemisset, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,108 per month in Khemisset and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $97.8 per month in Khemisset and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $739 in Khemisset and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Khemisset costs $739 versus $852 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 Khemisset. 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.