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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $425 per month in Lira vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $679 per month in Lira vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $934 per month in Lira vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lira is about 54% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lira and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Lira 69% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.58 UGX 10.2K

$2.08 ฿69.3

24.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.40 UGX 104.0K

$19.61 ฿653

34.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 UGX 30.3K

$5.67 ฿189

35.98%

Cappuccino

$2.61 UGX 10.3K

$1.81 ฿60.1

44.20%

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

$0.25 UGX 983

$0.77 ฿25.58

-67.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 UGX 982

$0.35 ฿11.49

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 UGX 3,034

$2.21 ฿73.7

-65.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 UGX 7,117

$3.79 ฿126

-52.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 UGX 3,359

$2.05 ฿68.2

-58.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 UGX 4,043

$1.51 ฿50.4

-31.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,478

$1.40 ฿46.57

-0.71%

Eggs

$1.53 UGX 6,034

$2.26 ฿75.2

-32.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.67 UGX 18.4K

$16.19 ฿539

-71.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

$2.90 ฿96.4

74.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 UGX 20.2K

$9.42 ฿314

-45.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 UGX 8,585

$2.68 ฿89.2

-18.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 UGX 4,811

$1.09 ฿36.28

11.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,457

$1.62 ฿53.8

-14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 UGX 4,917

$1.46 ฿48.61

-14.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 UGX 4,974

$1.28 ฿42.54

-1.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 UGX 5,508

$1.06 ฿35.21

32.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 UGX 3,379

$0.72 ฿23.88

19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 UGX 2,067

$0.53 ฿17.51

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

$4.23 ฿141

-37.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 UGX 31.5K

$18.29 ฿609

-56.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 UGX 4,106

$1.63 ฿54.3

-36.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 UGX 8,178

$2.90 ฿96.6

-28.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 UGX 1,984

$1.17 ฿39.04

-57.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,243

$0.58 ฿19.25

-44.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 UGX 13.2K

$2.39 ฿79.4

40.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 UGX 5,527

$1.45 ฿48.28

-3.45%

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

$7,911 UGX 31.2M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

-62.35%

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

$7,925 UGX 31.2M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

-70.01%

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

$75.9 UGX 298.9K

$63.7 ฿2,119

19.23%

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

$12.34 UGX 48.6K

$12.89 ฿429

-4.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.06 UGX 149.9K

$20.52 ฿683

85.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 UGX 30.6K

$6.58 ฿219

18.09%

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

$262 UGX 1.0M

$784 ฿26.1K

-66.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,518 UGX 33.5M

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-41.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.93 UGX 58.8K

$55.1 ฿1,835

-72.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.82 UGX 54.4K

$24.74 ฿824

-44.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.96 UGX 137.7K

$94.1 ฿3,133

-62.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.61 UGX 183.6K

$74.0 ฿2,462

-36.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

5.57

272.53%

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

Last update for Lira: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Lira versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $157 in Lira vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Lira 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 119% more than Lira, 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 $638 per month in Lira and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Lira 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 54% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lira, where all-in costs run around $425, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Lira 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. Lira costs $425 versus $932 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 Lira. 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.