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 $1,128 per month in Knysna vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,643 per month in Knysna vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,157 per month in Knysna vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Knysna costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Knysna and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Knysna 16% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.36 R 138

$1.94 ฿63.8

330.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.43 R 603

$18.64 ฿611

95.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 R 79.0

$7.82 ฿256

-39.00%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R 36.77

$1.95 ฿64.1

13.85%

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

$1.10 R 18.20

$0.85 ฿27.90

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 R 12.94

$0.35 ฿11.64

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 R 35.69

$2.13 ฿69.9

0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R 36.71

$3.73 ฿122

-40.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 R 19.35

$1.71 ฿56.2

-31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 R 14.66

$1.63 ฿53.4

-45.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.38

$1.14 ฿37.32

44.74%

Eggs

$2.62 R 43.35

$1.93 ฿63.4

35.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 R 161

$16.21 ฿532

-40.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 R 72.3

$3.12 ฿102

39.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 R 111

$10.90 ฿357

-38.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.46

$2.75 ฿90.4

-48.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.73

$1.21 ฿39.70

38.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.51

$1.62 ฿53.2

-23.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.18

$1.59 ฿52.1

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 R 24.22

$1.40 ฿45.91

4.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 R 23.17

$1.17 ฿38.34

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.08

$0.66 ฿21.70

65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.58

$0.53 ฿17.30

77.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 R 45.36

$4.69 ฿154

-41.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 R 80.2

$18.66 ฿612

-74.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.16

$1.80 ฿59.0

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.35

$3.23 ฿106

-48.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 27.00

$0.90 ฿29.39

81.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.12

$1.41 ฿46.13

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.48

$1.29 ฿42.31

-27.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 R 66.4

$7.84 ฿257

-48.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 R 22.58

$1.27 ฿41.77

7.09%

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

$22.4K R 371.6K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

5.46%

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

$21.8K R 360.8K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

-1.93%

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

$87.4 R 1,447

$69.1 ฿2,266

26.54%

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

$22.16 R 367

$14.08 ฿462

57.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.18 R 682

$18.00 ฿591

128.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.74 R 741

$41.06 ฿1,347

8.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 R 114

$5.92 ฿194

16.05%

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

$236 R 3,913

$299 ฿9,811

-20.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,327 R 71.7K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-71.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 R 824

$54.7 ฿1,795

-9.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.15 R 532

$26.77 ฿878

20.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 R 1,818

$85.0 ฿2,788

29.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 R 1,306

$70.6 ฿2,316

11.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 R 7,873

$428 ฿14.0K

11.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 R 7,366

$237 ฿7,787

87.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 R 12.7K

$801 ฿26.3K

-3.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 R 11.9K

$515 ฿16.9K

39.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,050 R 17.4K

$1,975 ฿64.8K

-46.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,037 R 17.2K

$1,475 ฿48.4K

-29.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$955 R 15.8K

$617 ฿20.3K

54.64%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Knysna versus $428 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 55% 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 $36.00 in Knysna versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Knysna vs $246 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 30% 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 $1,692 per month in Knysna and $1,300 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 36% 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 $866, than in Knysna at $1,128. 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 $866 versus $1,128 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.