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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Loei vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,536 per month in Loei vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,122 per month in Loei vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Loei and Chiang Mai have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.36 ฿111

$2.10 ฿69.3

60.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.27 ฿835

$19.84 ฿656

27.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.37 ฿276

$5.79 ฿191

44.56%

Cappuccino

$2.26 ฿74.7

$1.83 ฿60.4

23.50%

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

$0.64 ฿21.28

$0.78 ฿25.61

-17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.14

$0.31 ฿10.37

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ฿67.7

$2.34 ฿77.2

-12.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ฿111

$3.70 ฿122

-9.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ฿69.4

$2.03 ฿67.1

3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.19

$1.60 ฿52.7

-10.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.92

$1.42 ฿46.75

-4.23%

Eggs

$1.87 ฿61.7

$2.18 ฿71.9

-14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ฿505

$15.91 ฿526

-3.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 ฿92.6

$3.07 ฿102

-8.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.74 ฿355

$9.87 ฿326

8.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.6

$2.63 ฿86.8

12.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.57

$1.10 ฿36.19

6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 ฿69.7

$1.63 ฿53.8

29.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 ฿55.1

$1.53 ฿50.6

9.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.10

$1.24 ฿41.13

20.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.03

$1.13 ฿37.37

9.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ฿42.10

$0.74 ฿24.38

71.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.90

$0.50 ฿16.48

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ฿127

$4.28 ฿141

-10.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.94 ฿593

$17.97 ฿594

-0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿57.4

$1.70 ฿56.1

2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ฿81.8

$2.90 ฿95.7

-14.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 ฿33.18

$0.94 ฿31.13

6.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ฿49.23

$1.23 ฿40.76

21.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ฿42.39

$0.53 ฿17.66

141.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 ฿136

$2.40 ฿79.3

71.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ฿41.71

$1.44 ฿47.55

-12.50%

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

$29.7K ฿982.4K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

40.30%

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

$26.6K ฿879.7K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-2.49%

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

$82.6 ฿2,729

$64.9 ฿2,145

27.20%

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

$10.39 ฿343

$13.35 ฿441

-22.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.92 ฿658

$20.83 ฿688

-4.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.11 ฿1,358

$40.42 ฿1,336

1.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.25 ฿438

$3.95 ฿131

235.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 ฿205

$6.71 ฿222

-7.45%

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

$560 ฿18.5K

$787 ฿26.0K

-28.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K ฿365.7K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-26.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 ฿1,668

$56.2 ฿1,858

-10.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.58 ฿878

$24.95 ฿824

6.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 ฿2,559

$92.7 ฿3,063

-16.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.6 ฿2,364

$75.1 ฿2,482

-4.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 ฿15.8K

$484 ฿16.0K

-1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 ฿9,605

$287 ฿9,491

1.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,408 ฿46.5K

$910 ฿30.1K

54.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 ฿21.5K

$531 ฿17.5K

22.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,181 ฿72.1K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

10.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,693 ฿55.9K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

16.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Loei: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Loei versus $484 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Loei versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $242 – 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,425 per month in Loei and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Loei, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Loei and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Loei, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Loei 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. Loei costs $950 versus $950 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 Loei. 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.