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 $430 per month in Lira vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $686 per month in Lira vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $943 per month in Lira vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lira is about 50% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lira and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Lira 68% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 UGX 10.2K

$2.04 ฿68.2

33.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.88 UGX 100.6K

$18.71 ฿624

43.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 UGX 32.0K

$7.86 ฿262

8.65%

Cappuccino

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$2.03 ฿67.7

33.99%

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

$0.27 UGX 1,008

$0.80 ฿26.64

-66.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 UGX 1,006

$0.35 ฿11.68

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 UGX 3,158

$2.14 ฿71.5

-60.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 UGX 10.1K

$3.67 ฿122

-26.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 UGX 2,678

$1.73 ฿57.6

-58.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 UGX 4,473

$1.57 ฿52.4

-24.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 UGX 4,985

$1.20 ฿39.99

10.83%

Eggs

$1.81 UGX 6,795

$1.97 ฿65.8

-8.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 UGX 15.7K

$16.23 ฿541

-74.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 UGX 19.0K

$3.06 ฿102

65.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 UGX 16.3K

$10.80 ฿360

-59.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

$2.77 ฿92.3

-2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 UGX 5,566

$1.17 ฿38.94

27.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 UGX 6,547

$1.71 ฿57.0

2.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 UGX 5,922

$1.59 ฿53.2

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 UGX 5,865

$1.39 ฿46.51

12.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 UGX 7,218

$1.16 ฿38.56

66.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 UGX 3,949

$0.66 ฿22.05

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 UGX 2,032

$0.52 ฿17.31

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 UGX 10.9K

$4.65 ฿155

-37.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 UGX 30.4K

$17.78 ฿593

-54.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 UGX 4,644

$1.79 ฿59.6

-30.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 UGX 7,708

$3.34 ฿111

-38.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 UGX 2,135

$1.41 ฿47.04

-59.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 964

$1.34 ฿44.70

-80.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

$8.11 ฿270

-49.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 UGX 5,599

$1.23 ฿41.16

21.95%

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

$9,050 UGX 33.9M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

-57.78%

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

$8,631 UGX 32.3M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

-60.45%

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

$42.95 UGX 160.8K

$71.3 ฿2,379

-39.79%

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

$14.30 UGX 53.5K

$14.01 ฿467

2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.05 UGX 161.2K

$17.93 ฿598

140.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 UGX 24.0K

$5.72 ฿191

12.06%

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

$161 UGX 601.9K

$308 ฿10.3K

-47.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,383 UGX 16.4M

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-70.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.24 UGX 64.6K

$55.8 ฿1,860

-69.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.40 UGX 53.9K

$26.04 ฿869

-44.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.05 UGX 146.2K

$84.8 ฿2,829

-53.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.91 UGX 179.4K

$71.0 ฿2,368

-32.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

316.00%

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

Last update for Lira: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Lira versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $166 in Lira vs $244 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 98% 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 $644 per month in Lira and $1,279 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 $27.00 in Lira and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $430 in Lira and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lira costs $430 versus $852 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.