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 $1,106 per month in Knysna vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,656 per month in Knysna vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,206 per month in Knysna vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Knysna costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Knysna and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Knysna 17% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 R 137

$1.95 ฿62.8

327.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.26 R 597

$18.43 ฿594

96.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 R 82.4

$7.50 ฿241

-33.33%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R 36.64

$1.93 ฿62.3

15.03%

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

$1.09 R 18.01

$0.78 ฿25.08

39.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 13.11

$0.32 ฿10.42

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 R 35.52

$2.15 ฿69.2

0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 R 37.87

$3.71 ฿120

-38.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.12

$1.71 ฿55.2

-32.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 R 15.09

$1.56 ฿50.3

-41.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.07

$1.18 ฿38.06

33.90%

Eggs

$2.61 R 43.06

$1.98 ฿63.9

31.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 R 160

$16.04 ฿517

-39.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 R 72.0

$3.17 ฿102

37.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 R 111

$10.94 ฿353

-38.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.38

$2.63 ฿84.7

-48.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.44

$1.17 ฿37.61

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 R 21.34

$1.65 ฿53.0

-21.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.26

$1.54 ฿49.51

7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.86

$1.38 ฿44.34

0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 R 23.18

$1.17 ฿37.54

20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 R 18.97

$0.66 ฿21.25

74.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 R 16.36

$0.51 ฿16.55

94.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 R 44.96

$4.52 ฿146

-39.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.87 R 80.2

$18.32 ฿590

-73.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.97

$1.80 ฿57.9

-22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 28.17

$3.18 ฿102

-46.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 R 27.59

$0.90 ฿28.97

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R 18.21

$1.41 ฿45.50

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.78

$1.31 ฿42.15

-26.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 R 65.0

$8.09 ฿261

-51.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 R 22.19

$1.28 ฿41.08

5.47%

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

$22.4K R 368.6K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

5.09%

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

$21.9K R 361.0K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

0.98%

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

$88.5 R 1,457

$69.2 ฿2,230

27.82%

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

$22.63 R 373

$13.97 ฿450

61.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.63 R 669

$17.95 ฿578

126.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.60 R 735

$42.31 ฿1,363

5.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$6.82 R 112

$5.92 ฿191

15.20%

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

$243 R 3,994

$299 ฿9,640

-18.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,319 R 71.1K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-70.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 R 838

$56.2 ฿1,810

-9.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.70 R 522

$26.94 ฿868

17.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,801

$84.9 ฿2,735

28.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 R 1,297

$71.8 ฿2,314

9.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 R 7,812

$435 ฿14.0K

9.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 R 7,423

$240 ฿7,727

87.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 R 12.6K

$798 ฿25.7K

-3.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 R 12.1K

$498 ฿16.1K

47.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,032 R 17.0K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-48.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,027 R 16.9K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-32.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$944 R 15.5K

$628 ฿20.2K

50.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.25

145.00%

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

Last update for Knysna: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Knysna versus $435 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 50% 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 $36 in Knysna versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $182 in Knysna vs $244 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 31% 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 $1,658 per month in Knysna and $1,267 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 $36.00 in Knysna and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% 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 $845, than in Knysna at $1,106. 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 $845 versus $1,106 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.