Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kone and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Kone: $449 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Kone

🇳🇨 New Caledonia

$449

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kone and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kone and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $449 per month in Kone vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kone $449
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $672 per month in Kone vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kone $672
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $895 per month in Kone vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kone $895
Chiang Mai $1,914

Kone is about 52% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kone and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kone 67% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.8 CFPF 5,483

$19.18 ฿641

170.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 CFPF 156

$0.52 ฿17.54

184.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.56 CFPF 1,858

$4.33 ฿145

305.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 CFPF 1,563

$17.73 ฿593

-16.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

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

$170 CFPF 18.0K

$62.3 ฿2,083

172.81%

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

$12.27 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.3 CFPF 9,868

$19.97 ฿668

367.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 CFPF 5,918

$37.91 ฿1,267

47.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

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

$797 ฿26.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 CFPF 11.9K

$53.3 ฿1,780

111.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 CFPF 7,490

$91.6 ฿3,062

-22.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 CFPF 58.8K

$464 ฿15.5K

19.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 CFPF 159.6K

$915 ฿30.6K

64.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,826 CFPF 299.0K

$595 ฿19.9K

374.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Kone: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kone

–

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Groceries & Markets

Kone

–

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Kone

–

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kone

–

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Eating Out

Kone

–

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Getting Around

Kone

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Kone

–

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Kone versus $464 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 375% higher in Kone, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Kone versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $47.00 in Kone vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Kone wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇳🇨 Kone

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

14:25 2:25 PM

10:25 10:25 AM

4 h behind Kone

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,500

127,240

💱 Currency

CFP Franc XPF Fr

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XPF = 9.45 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.41 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to XPF – CFP Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 CFP Franc (Fr)

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.45 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to XPF in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Kone Chiang Mai 8,430 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Kone
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 109% more than Kone, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $674 per month in Kone and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kone, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $449 in Kone and $938 in Chiang Mai. That's a gap of about 109%.

Groceries cost about 404% more in Chiang Mai, 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 Kone, where all-in costs run around $449, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Kone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kone costs $449 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. 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 Kone. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.