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 $1,234 per month in Koura vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,922 per month in Koura vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,609 per month in Koura vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Koura costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Koura and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Koura 10% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 LBP 1.1M

$2.08 ฿69.2

482.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 LBP 5.8M

$19.64 ฿651

227.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 LBP 900.4K

$5.65 ฿188

78.05%

Cappuccino

$4.52 LBP 404.3K

$1.81 ฿59.9

149.72%

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

$2.32 LBP 207.4K

$0.71 ฿23.66

226.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 LBP 80.2K

$0.32 ฿10.48

181.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 LBP 445.7K

$2.24 ฿74.2

122.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 LBP 442.7K

$3.63 ฿121

36.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 LBP 169.5K

$1.96 ฿65.0

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.5K

$1.50 ฿49.83

-44.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 LBP 193.2K

$1.34 ฿44.32

61.19%

Eggs

$3.55 LBP 318.0K

$2.26 ฿75.1

57.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 LBP 1.2M

$16.26 ฿539

-15.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.67 LBP 954.6K

$2.95 ฿98.0

261.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 LBP 1.3M

$9.94 ฿330

44.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 LBP 270.0K

$2.57 ฿85.3

17.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 LBP 146.8K

$1.06 ฿35.04

54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 LBP 144.1K

$1.61 ฿53.5

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 LBP 136.8K

$1.52 ฿50.4

0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 LBP 122.0K

$1.27 ฿42.14

7.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 LBP 147.2K

$1.07 ฿35.37

53.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 LBP 105.1K

$0.72 ฿23.89

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LBP 60.7K

$0.51 ฿16.87

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 LBP 262.5K

$4.19 ฿139

-30.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 LBP 911.2K

$17.87 ฿593

-43.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 LBP 113.8K

$1.69 ฿56.2

-24.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 LBP 225.0K

$2.84 ฿94.1

-11.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 LBP 176.5K

$0.93 ฿30.70

111.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 LBP 450.7K

$1.23 ฿40.95

309.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 LBP 204.1K

$0.58 ฿19.13

293.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.34 LBP 2.0M

$2.42 ฿80.4

823.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 LBP 81.0K

$1.41 ฿46.84

-35.46%

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

$53.2K LBP 4.8B

$21.4K ฿711.3K

147.89%

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

$32.3K LBP 2.9B

$27.3K ฿906.7K

18.06%

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

$230 LBP 20.6M

$63.7 ฿2,112

261.66%

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

$23.08 LBP 2.1M

$12.85 ฿426

79.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.11 LBP 3.3M

$20.22 ฿671

83.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.62 LBP 2.2M

$38.74 ฿1,285

-36.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.95 LBP 890.3K

$3.97 ฿132

150.63%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 LBP 904.0K

$6.74 ฿223

49.85%

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

$680 LBP 60.8M

$778 ฿25.8K

-12.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K LBP 961.6M

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-26.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 LBP 6.0M

$54.3 ฿1,801

22.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.00 LBP 4.4M

$25.45 ฿844

92.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 LBP 12.4M

$94.3 ฿3,129

46.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 LBP 10.6M

$73.4 ฿2,436

61.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 LBP 22.8M

$490 ฿16.2K

-48.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 LBP 18.0M

$289 ฿9,596

-30.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 LBP 40.7M

$894 ฿29.6K

-49.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 LBP 31.8M

$517 ฿17.1K

-31.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,141 LBP 102.1M

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-41.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$856 LBP 76.6M

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-42.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$611 LBP 54.7M

$602 ฿20.0K

1.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Koura: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Koura versus $490 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 2% 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 $64.0 in Koura versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $240 – 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

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

Koura costs about 30% 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 $1,852 per month in Koura and $1,421 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 $64.0 in Koura and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Koura, 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 $947, than in Koura at $1,234. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koura it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,234 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.