Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Khon Kaen: $608 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Khon Kaen

🇹🇭 Thailand

$608

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Khon Kaen 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 Khon Kaen and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $608 per month in Khon Kaen vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Khon Kaen $608
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1,024 per month in Khon Kaen vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Khon Kaen $1,024
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,440 per month in Khon Kaen vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Khon Kaen $1,440
Chiang Mai $1,979

Khon Kaen is about 35% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Khon Kaen 55% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿103

$2.24 ฿75.6

35.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.92 ฿1,010

$19.00 ฿641

57.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ฿200

$5.55 ฿187

6.85%

Cappuccino

$1.46 ฿49.35

$1.67 ฿56.5

-12.57%

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

$0.59 ฿19.81

$0.64 ฿21.54

-7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.81

$0.31 ฿10.31

-6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ฿58.0

$2.36 ฿79.5

-27.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 ฿227

$3.66 ฿124

83.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.46

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ฿29.14

$1.33 ฿45.03

-35.34%

Eggs

$2.47 ฿83.4

$2.28 ฿77.1

8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 ฿29.32

$0.97 ฿32.79

-10.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.60 ฿53.9

-6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.10 ฿37.18

36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ฿20.83

$0.71 ฿23.82

-12.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.69

$0.49 ฿16.36

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.61 ฿54.5

2.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿40.55

$0.53 ฿17.80

126.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ฿44.66

$1.45 ฿48.88

-8.97%

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

$44.6K ฿1.5M

$21.1K ฿710.5K

111.69%

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

$26.5K ฿895.4K

$26.9K ฿909.0K

-1.49%

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

$94.7 ฿3,194

$62.2 ฿2,098

52.26%

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

$17.99 ฿607

$12.17 ฿411

47.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.73 ฿1,003

$20.12 ฿679

47.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 ฿2,008

$37.31 ฿1,259

59.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 ฿197

$6.49 ฿219

-9.86%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,970 ฿302.6K

$14.8K ฿498.2K

-39.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.04 ฿1,014

$53.4 ฿1,801

-43.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.83 ฿1,175

$24.64 ฿831

41.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 ฿2,489

$91.5 ฿3,087

-19.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ฿3,054

$71.9 ฿2,427

25.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 ฿9,442

$482 ฿16.3K

-41.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ฿5,262

$309 ฿10.4K

-49.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.6K

$1,006 ฿33.9K

-27.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 ฿16.2K

$633 ฿21.4K

-24.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Khon Kaen: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Khon Kaen

–

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Groceries & Markets

Khon Kaen

–

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Khon Kaen

–

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Khon Kaen

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Khon Kaen

–

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Getting Around

Khon Kaen

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Khon Kaen

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Khon Kaen versus $482 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 $30 in Khon Kaen versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $45 in Khon Kaen vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Khon Kaen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Khon Kaen

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

01:51 1:51 AM

Same time as Khon Kaen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

114,459

127,240

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Khon Kaen Chiang Mai 480 km

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

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 54% more than Khon Kaen, 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 $913 per month in Khon Kaen and $1,403 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $280 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $608 in Khon Kaen and $936 in Chiang Mai. That makes Khon Kaen about 35% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 426% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $608 in Khon Kaen to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.