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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,703 per month in Koror vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,741 per month in Koror vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,779 per month in Koror vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Koror costs about 102% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Koror sits 27% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.05 $12.05

$1.95 ฿62.6

517.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 $75.5

$18.43 ฿591

309.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 $9.85

$7.50 ฿241

31.33%

Cappuccino

$4.05 $4.05

$1.93 ฿62.0

109.84%

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

$1.36 $1.36

$0.78 ฿24.98

74.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.32 ฿10.38

231.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.15 ฿68.9

-31.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.71 ฿119

-42.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.71 ฿55.0

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.56 ฿50.1

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.26 $0.26

$1.18 ฿37.91

-77.97%

Eggs

$5.85 $5.85

$1.98 ฿63.6

195.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$16.04 ฿515

-38.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.71 $13.71

$3.17 ฿102

332.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.21 $19.21

$10.94 ฿351

75.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.63 ฿84.3

95.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.17 ฿37.45

92.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$1.65 ฿52.8

238.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$1.54 ฿49.31

981.82%

Potato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$1.38 ฿44.16

228.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$1.17 ฿37.39

180.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.66 ฿21.16

196.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.51 ฿16.48

235.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 $11.27

$4.52 ฿145

149.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.68 $22.68

$18.32 ฿588

23.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.80 ฿57.7

89.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.18 ฿102

7.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.85

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.41 ฿45.32

75.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿41.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 $6.15

$8.09 ฿260

-23.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.28 ฿40.92

35.94%

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

$17.4K $17.4K

$21.3K ฿683.3K

-18.07%

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

$15.1K $15.1K

$21.7K ฿696.5K

-30.30%

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

$69.2 ฿2,221

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

$50.9 $50.9

$13.97 ฿448

264.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$128 $128

$17.95 ฿576

613.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 $55.9

$42.31 ฿1,358

32.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿190

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

$197 $197

$299 ฿9,601

-34.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,921 $1,921

$14.8K ฿476.5K

-87.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 $62.6

$56.2 ฿1,803

11.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 $53.0

$26.94 ฿864

96.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 $149

$84.9 ฿2,724

75.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$196 $196

$71.8 ฿2,305

173.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 $758

$435 ฿14.0K

74.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 $541

$240 ฿7,696

125.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,768 $1,768

$798 ฿25.6K

121.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 $972

$498 ฿16.0K

95.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$791 $791

$628 ฿20.2K

25.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Koror: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $758 in Koror 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 26% higher in Koror, 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 $75 in Koror versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $503 vs $244 – 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

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

Koror costs about 102% 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 $2,555 per month in Koror 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 $75.0 in Koror and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 106% more in Koror, 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 $845, than in Koror at $1,703. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koror it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,703 in Koror. 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, Koror makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.