Cost of Living Comparison Between Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $780 per month in Khon Kaen vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,291 per month in Khon Kaen vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,801 per month in Khon Kaen vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Khon Kaen is about 8% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Khon Kaen 42% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 ฿51.0

$1.96 ฿64.0

-20.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.24 ฿1,022

$18.81 ฿615

66.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.29 ฿206

$7.92 ฿259

-20.58%

Cappuccino

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.91 ฿62.6

-15.18%

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

$0.61 ฿20.04

$0.84 ฿27.41

-27.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.43

$0.35 ฿11.51

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 ฿60.8

$2.21 ฿72.1

-15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 ฿182

$3.80 ฿124

46.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.3

$1.64 ฿53.5

1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ฿41.35

$1.62 ฿53.1

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ฿31.59

$1.18 ฿38.62

-17.80%

Eggs

$2.52 ฿82.4

$2.01 ฿65.8

25.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.24 ฿596

$15.89 ฿520

14.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$3.01 ฿98.5

0.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿355

$10.77 ฿352

0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$2.61 ฿85.5

21.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 ฿29.09

$1.22 ฿39.88

-27.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ฿49.23

$1.70 ฿55.7

-11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ฿40.82

$1.58 ฿51.5

-20.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.32 ฿43.14

43.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.04

$1.17 ฿38.23

1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ฿31.05

$0.67 ฿21.98

41.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.77

$0.56 ฿18.32

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 ฿142

$4.53 ฿148

-3.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.23 ฿629

$18.20 ฿595

5.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ฿59.3

$1.83 ฿60.0

-1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$3.23 ฿106

-24.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.45

$0.89 ฿29.00

1.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿34.86

$1.35 ฿44.20

-20.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.15

$1.35 ฿44.05

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 ฿203

$8.25 ฿270

-24.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿42.71

$1.27 ฿41.64

3.15%

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

$46.1K ฿1.5M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

118.04%

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

$28.1K ฿919.6K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

25.07%

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

$64.4 ฿2,107

$70.2 ฿2,294

-8.15%

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

$22.96 ฿751

$13.77 ฿450

66.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.54 ฿770

$17.60 ฿575

33.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 ฿2,036

$41.57 ฿1,360

49.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.04 ฿394

$6.60 ฿216

82.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 ฿198

$5.78 ฿189

5.02%

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

$297 ฿9,726

$306 ฿10.0K

-2.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,261 ฿302.8K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-37.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.59 ฿1,000

$54.4 ฿1,778

-43.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 ฿1,345

$26.14 ฿855

57.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 ฿2,554

$84.5 ฿2,764

-7.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 ฿2,144

$69.4 ฿2,270

-5.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 ฿8,386

$424 ฿13.9K

-39.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 ฿5,511

$238 ฿7,788

-29.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.7K

$825 ฿27.0K

-8.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 ฿14.1K

$515 ฿16.8K

-16.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,869 ฿61.1K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-8.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,683 ฿55.0K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

10.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.00%

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

Last update for Khon Kaen: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $256 in Khon Kaen versus $424 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 $31.00 in Khon Kaen versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 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

Khon Kaen vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Khon Kaen, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,170 per month in Khon Kaen and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Khon Kaen, 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 $31.00 in Khon Kaen 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 2% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $780 in Khon Kaen and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Khon Kaen costs $780 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 Khon Kaen. 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.