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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,080 per month in Kinmen vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,852 per month in Kinmen vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,623 per month in Kinmen vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kinmen costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kinmen and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kinmen 21% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 NT$145

$2.08 ฿69.2

119.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.93 NT$981

$19.64 ฿651

57.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 NT$149

$5.65 ฿188

-17.17%

Cappuccino

$3.01 NT$95.6

$1.81 ฿59.9

66.30%

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

$0.95 NT$30.15

$0.71 ฿23.66

33.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 NT$21.57

$0.32 ฿10.48

112.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 NT$53.3

$2.24 ฿74.2

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 NT$81.5

$3.63 ฿121

-29.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 NT$97.5

$1.96 ฿65.0

56.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 NT$59.5

$1.50 ฿49.83

24.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 NT$93.6

$1.34 ฿44.32

120.15%

Eggs

$2.69 NT$85.5

$2.26 ฿75.1

19.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.21 NT$609

$16.26 ฿539

18.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 NT$250

$2.95 ฿98.0

167.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.71 NT$657

$9.94 ฿330

108.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 NT$133

$2.57 ฿85.3

62.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 NT$79.1

$1.06 ฿35.04

134.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 NT$95.1

$1.61 ฿53.5

86.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 NT$99.6

$1.52 ฿50.4

106.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 NT$88.2

$1.27 ฿42.14

118.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 NT$67.6

$1.07 ฿35.37

99.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 NT$74.0

$0.72 ฿23.89

223.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 NT$32.73

$0.51 ฿16.87

101.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 NT$122

$4.19 ฿139

-8.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 NT$396

$17.87 ฿593

-30.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 NT$48.59

$1.69 ฿56.2

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NT$69.1

$2.84 ฿94.1

-23.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 NT$20.92

$0.93 ฿30.70

-29.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.67 NT$1,164

$53.9 ฿1,787

-31.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 NT$87.1

$1.23 ฿40.95

123.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$24.52

$0.58 ฿19.13

32.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.40 NT$298

$2.42 ฿80.4

288.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.88

$1.41 ฿46.84

-29.08%

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

$33.0K NT$1.0M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

53.78%

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

$24.4K NT$773.8K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-10.77%

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

$87.7 NT$2,781

$63.7 ฿2,112

37.66%

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

$17.90 NT$568

$12.85 ฿426

39.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.12 NT$702

$20.22 ฿671

9.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.75 NT$1,166

$38.74 ฿1,285

-5.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 NT$323

$6.74 ฿223

51.19%

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

$517 NT$16.4K

$778 ฿25.8K

-33.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K NT$520.2K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

12.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 NT$1,860

$54.3 ฿1,801

8.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.79 NT$1,072

$25.45 ฿844

32.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 NT$2,643

$94.3 ฿3,129

-11.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 NT$3,186

$73.4 ฿2,436

36.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 NT$12.8K

$490 ฿16.2K

-17.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 NT$8,013

$289 ฿9,596

-12.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 NT$30.7K

$894 ฿29.6K

8.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 NT$23.0K

$517 ฿17.1K

40.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,334 NT$232.7K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

275.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,965 NT$157.5K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

236.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

5.57

-59.25%

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

Last update for Kinmen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Kinmen versus $490 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 Kinmen versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $240 – 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

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

Kinmen costs about 14% 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 $1,620 per month in Kinmen and $1,421 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 $517 per month in Kinmen and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Kinmen, 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 $947, than in Kinmen at $1,080. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kinmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,080 in Kinmen. 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, Kinmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.