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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,298 per month in Kingstown vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,077 per month in Kingstown vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,857 per month in Kingstown vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kingstown costs about 51% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kingstown and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kingstown 3% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 EC$20.42

$1.96 ฿65.9

285.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 EC$192

$18.35 ฿617

287.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 EC$29.93

$7.48 ฿252

48.26%

Cappuccino

$3.25 EC$8.79

$2.02 ฿67.8

60.89%

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

$2.09 EC$5.63

$0.85 ฿28.52

145.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 EC$5.57

$0.36 ฿11.97

472.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 EC$5.14

$2.14 ฿71.9

-11.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 EC$5.85

$3.59 ฿121

-39.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 EC$8.53

$1.65 ฿55.5

91.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 EC$5.36

$1.57 ฿52.7

26.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 EC$4.45

$1.19 ฿40.05

38.66%

Eggs

$4.67 EC$12.61

$1.94 ฿65.1

140.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 EC$30.80

$16.19 ฿545

-29.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 EC$12.73

$2.99 ฿101

57.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.33 EC$33.29

$10.94 ฿368

12.71%

Apples (1kg)

$8.73 EC$23.56

$2.71 ฿91.2

222.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 EC$7.57

$1.17 ฿39.27

139.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.64 EC$23.34

$1.69 ฿56.8

411.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 EC$14.34

$1.60 ฿54.0

231.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 EC$10.67

$1.38 ฿46.56

186.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 EC$8.72

$1.20 ฿40.47

169.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.15 EC$11.21

$0.67 ฿22.51

519.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 EC$8.03

$0.56 ฿18.74

430.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 EC$10.80

$4.64 ฿156

-13.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 EC$45.09

$17.62 ฿593

-5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 EC$6.06

$1.86 ฿62.6

20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 EC$6.21

$3.30 ฿111

-30.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 EC$3.15

$0.88 ฿29.70

32.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.5 EC$136

$19.34 ฿651

161.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.02 EC$29.74

$1.36 ฿45.92

710.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 EC$5.09

$1.34 ฿45.00

41.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.74 EC$80.3

$8.21 ฿276

262.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.10 EC$8.37

$1.22 ฿41.20

154.10%

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

$38.2K EC$103.2K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

78.98%

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

$30.9K EC$83.5K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

37.26%

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

$74.8 EC$202

$70.7 ฿2,378

5.90%

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

$28.13 EC$75.9

$14.04 ฿472

100.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 EC$151

$17.49 ฿589

219.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.99 EC$86.4

$42.15 ฿1,418

-24.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.62 EC$12.46

$6.88 ฿231

-32.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 EC$12.69

$5.92 ฿199

-20.61%

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

$121 EC$327

$309 ฿10.4K

-60.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 EC$220

$55.8 ฿1,876

46.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.1 EC$181

$26.11 ฿879

156.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 EC$252

$83.0 ฿2,793

12.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 EC$230

$70.5 ฿2,371

21.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 EC$891

$432 ฿14.5K

-23.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 EC$857

$239 ฿8,040

32.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 EC$1,483

$822 ฿27.7K

-33.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 EC$1,285

$512 ฿17.2K

-7.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$587 EC$1,584

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-69.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 EC$1,635

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-58.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 EC$2,814

$579 ฿19.5K

79.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

50.00%

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

Last update for Kingstown: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Kingstown versus $432 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 80% higher in Kingstown, 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 $71.0 in Kingstown versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 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

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

Kingstown costs about 51% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,947 per month in Kingstown and $1,292 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.

Kindergarten costs $121 per month in Kingstown and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% more in Kingstown, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Kingstown at $1,298. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingstown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,298 in Kingstown. 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, Kingstown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.