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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,137 per month in Koura vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,747 per month in Koura vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,357 per month in Koura vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Koura costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Koura and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Koura 15% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.94 LBP 979.3K

$1.96 ฿65.9

458.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.0 LBP 5.5M

$18.35 ฿617

232.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 LBP 712.2K

$7.48 ฿252

6.42%

Cappuccino

$3.29 LBP 294.4K

$2.02 ฿67.8

62.87%

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

$1.57 LBP 140.2K

$0.85 ฿28.52

84.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

$0.36 ฿11.97

147.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 LBP 310.6K

$2.14 ฿71.9

62.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 LBP 440.9K

$3.59 ฿121

37.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LBP 152.4K

$1.65 ฿55.5

3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 71.0K

$1.57 ฿52.7

-49.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 155.8K

$1.19 ฿40.05

46.22%

Eggs

$3.20 LBP 286.4K

$1.94 ฿65.1

64.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 LBP 1.0M

$16.19 ฿545

-29.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 LBP 838.2K

$2.99 ฿101

213.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.65 LBP 1.0M

$10.94 ฿368

6.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 163.1K

$2.71 ฿91.2

-32.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 LBP 131.7K

$1.17 ฿39.27

25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 LBP 101.3K

$1.69 ฿56.8

-33.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LBP 94.7K

$1.60 ฿54.0

-33.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.2K

$1.38 ฿46.56

-27.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.7K

$1.20 ฿40.47

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LBP 79.3K

$0.67 ฿22.51

32.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

$0.56 ฿18.74

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 LBP 221.9K

$4.64 ฿156

-46.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 LBP 884.6K

$17.62 ฿593

-43.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 LBP 109.6K

$1.86 ฿62.6

-34.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 197.2K

$3.30 ฿111

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 LBP 184.3K

$0.88 ฿29.70

134.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 LBP 450.9K

$1.36 ฿45.92

270.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 LBP 109.8K

$1.34 ฿45.00

-8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.17 LBP 1.8M

$8.21 ฿276

145.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 LBP 84.2K

$1.22 ฿41.20

-22.95%

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

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

$21.4K ฿718.5K

61.81%

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

$28.1K LBP 2.5B

$22.5K ฿758.1K

24.81%

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

$212 LBP 19.0M

$70.7 ฿2,378

200.58%

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

$37.90 LBP 3.4M

$14.04 ฿472

169.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.12 LBP 3.3M

$17.49 ฿589

112.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.12 LBP 2.2M

$42.15 ฿1,418

-40.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 LBP 704.5K

$5.92 ฿199

32.94%

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

$299 LBP 26.8M

$309 ฿10.4K

-3.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,434 LBP 396.8M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-70.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 LBP 6.4M

$55.8 ฿1,876

29.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 LBP 4.0M

$26.11 ฿879

71.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 LBP 10.9M

$83.0 ฿2,793

47.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 LBP 8.3M

$70.5 ฿2,371

31.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 LBP 22.0M

$432 ฿14.5K

-43.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 LBP 17.9M

$239 ฿8,040

-16.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 LBP 39.9M

$822 ฿27.7K

-45.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 LBP 31.5M

$512 ฿17.2K

-31.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,156 LBP 103.5M

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-39.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$844 LBP 75.5M

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-42.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 LBP 53.2M

$579 ฿19.5K

2.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

123.20%

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

Last update for Koura: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $246 in Koura versus $432 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 3% higher in Koura, 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 $61.0 in Koura versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Koura vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Koura 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

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

Koura costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,706 per month in Koura and $1,292 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 $61.0 in Koura 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 4% cheaper in Koura – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,137 in Koura and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,137 in Koura. 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, Koura makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.