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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,248 per month in Knysna vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,842 per month in Knysna vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,435 per month in Knysna vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Knysna costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Knysna and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Knysna 9% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 R 158

$2.08 ฿68.5

374.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.75 R 634

$19.64 ฿646

102.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 R 96.0

$5.65 ฿186

6.55%

Cappuccino

$2.21 R 35.28

$1.81 ฿59.3

22.10%

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

$1.05 R 16.70

$0.71 ฿23.44

47.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R 11.83

$0.32 ฿10.38

131.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R 36.84

$2.24 ฿73.5

3.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 R 46.15

$3.63 ฿119

-20.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 18.56

$1.96 ฿64.4

-40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.36

$1.50 ฿49.38

-27.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 24.89

$1.34 ฿43.92

16.42%

Eggs

$2.77 R 44.21

$2.26 ฿74.4

22.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 R 141

$16.26 ฿534

-45.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 R 82.4

$2.95 ฿97.1

75.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 R 130

$9.94 ฿327

-17.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.00

$2.57 ฿84.5

-34.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.62

$1.06 ฿34.72

45.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.00

$1.61 ฿53.0

-2.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.44

$1.52 ฿49.96

4.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.06

$1.27 ฿41.76

28.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 22.92

$1.07 ฿35.05

34.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 R 20.11

$0.72 ฿23.67

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 R 16.67

$0.51 ฿16.72

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 R 52.5

$4.19 ฿138

-21.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.85 R 77.3

$17.87 ฿587

-72.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R 20.13

$1.69 ฿55.7

-25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 R 25.55

$2.84 ฿93.2

-43.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 R 25.33

$0.93 ฿30.42

70.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 R 10.17

$1.23 ฿40.58

-47.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 R 9.12

$0.58 ฿18.96

-1.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.49 R 135

$2.42 ฿79.7

250.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 R 22.79

$1.41 ฿46.42

1.42%

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

$24.9K R 397.2K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

16.12%

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

$29.1K R 464.4K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

6.50%

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

$118 R 1,877

$63.7 ฿2,093

84.80%

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

$34.65 R 553

$12.85 ฿423

169.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.00 R 718

$20.22 ฿665

122.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.95 R 781

$38.74 ฿1,274

26.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 R 141

$6.74 ฿221

31.31%

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

$182 R 2,900

$778 ฿25.6K

-76.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,914 R 94.3K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-59.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.83 R 699

$54.3 ฿1,785

-19.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.08 R 544

$25.45 ฿836

33.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 R 1,817

$94.3 ฿3,101

20.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 R 1,249

$73.4 ฿2,414

6.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 R 8,270

$490 ฿16.1K

5.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 R 7,929

$289 ฿9,510

71.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 R 13.3K

$894 ฿29.4K

-6.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 R 12.9K

$517 ฿17.0K

55.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,042 R 16.6K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-46.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,062 R 16.9K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

-28.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$956 R 15.3K

$602 ฿19.8K

58.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

5.57

112.39%

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

Last update for Knysna: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $518 in Knysna 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.

Salaries run about 59% higher in Knysna, 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 $40.00 in Knysna versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Knysna vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Knysna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Knysna costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,872 per month in Knysna 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Knysna and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Knysna – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Knysna at $1,248. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Knysna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,248 in Knysna. 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, Knysna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.