Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Phi Phi and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Phi Phi and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,913 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,716 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,518 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Koh Phi Phi costs about 120% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Koh Phi Phi sits 42% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 ฿229

$1.98 ฿64.6

254.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 ฿2,305

$18.80 ฿615

275.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 ฿419

$7.75 ฿253

65.29%

Cappuccino

$4.63 ฿151

$1.92 ฿62.7

141.15%

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

$1.09 ฿35.61

$0.79 ฿25.87

37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ฿19.08

$0.36 ฿11.66

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 ฿118

$2.21 ฿72.3

63.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 ฿184

$3.66 ฿120

53.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 ฿87.8

$1.65 ฿54.0

63.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ฿73.4

$1.63 ฿53.3

38.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.19 ฿38.99

127.73%

Eggs

$2.66 ฿86.9

$2.00 ฿65.3

33.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.59 ฿771

$15.98 ฿522

47.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.03 ฿98.9

45.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 ฿512

$10.86 ฿355

44.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 ฿130

$2.76 ฿90.3

44.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.18 ฿38.55

65.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 ฿94.4

$1.64 ฿53.7

76.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.3

$1.52 ฿49.68

57.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 ฿62.3

$1.38 ฿45.25

38.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 ฿56.6

$1.19 ฿38.97

45.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ฿38.47

$0.70 ฿22.94

68.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ฿19.99

$0.56 ฿18.19

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ฿166

$4.58 ฿150

11.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.06 ฿754

$16.56 ฿541

39.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ฿68.9

$1.83 ฿59.7

15.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ฿106

$3.20 ฿105

1.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 ฿64.7

$0.88 ฿28.66

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.36 ฿44.31

224.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 ฿47.31

$1.34 ฿43.80

8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.54 ฿639

$7.84 ฿256

149.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.23 ฿40.06

48.78%

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

$38.4K ฿1.3M

$21.6K ฿706.7K

77.50%

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

$46.1K ฿1.5M

$22.5K ฿736.8K

104.39%

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

$136 ฿4,434

$70.5 ฿2,305

92.33%

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

$15.31 ฿500

$13.68 ฿447

11.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.16 ฿659

$17.45 ฿570

15.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.0 ฿2,353

$41.33 ฿1,351

74.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.34 ฿665

$6.96 ฿228

192.24%

Cinema Ticket

$10.76 ฿352

$5.77 ฿189

86.48%

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

$819 ฿26.8K

$307 ฿10.0K

166.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K ฿619.4K

$14.6K ฿477.5K

29.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 ฿1,989

$55.8 ฿1,823

9.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.87 ฿1,205

$26.21 ฿856

40.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ฿3,892

$85.8 ฿2,802

38.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 ฿2,851

$72.2 ฿2,361

20.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 ฿43.6K

$430 ฿14.0K

210.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 ฿32.3K

$239 ฿7,800

313.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,472 ฿146.2K

$817 ฿26.7K

447.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,321 ฿108.5K

$511 ฿16.7K

550.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,079 ฿264.0K

$1,983 ฿64.8K

307.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,792 ฿189.3K

$1,484 ฿48.5K

290.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.60%

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

Last update for Koh Phi Phi: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,333 in Koh Phi Phi versus $430 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 $71.0 in Koh Phi Phi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $241 – 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

Koh Phi Phi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koh Phi Phi costs about 120% 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 $2,870 per month in Koh Phi Phi and $1,303 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 $71.0 in Koh Phi Phi and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Koh Phi Phi, 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 $869, than in Koh Phi Phi at $1,913. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koh Phi Phi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,913 in Koh Phi Phi. 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, Koh Phi Phi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.