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 $921 per month in Loei vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,503 per month in Loei vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,085 per month in Loei vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Loei costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Loei and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Loei 31% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 ฿101

$1.94 ฿63.5

59.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.56 ฿900

$18.64 ฿609

47.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 ฿202

$7.82 ฿255

-20.97%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ฿68.7

$1.95 ฿63.8

7.69%

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

$0.72 ฿23.55

$0.85 ฿27.77

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ฿12.34

$0.35 ฿11.58

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.8

$2.13 ฿69.6

13.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.73 ฿122

1.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ฿57.7

$1.71 ฿56.0

3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿43.91

$1.63 ฿53.2

-17.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.22

$1.14 ฿37.15

10.53%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.5

$1.93 ฿63.1

10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.74 ฿612

$16.21 ฿530

15.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 ฿102

$3.12 ฿102

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 ฿347

$10.90 ฿356

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 ฿103

$2.75 ฿90.0

14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ฿40.78

$1.21 ฿39.52

3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ฿63.6

$1.62 ฿53.0

20.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.59 ฿51.8

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.0

$1.40 ฿45.70

9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.35

$1.17 ฿38.17

8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.50

$0.66 ฿21.60

56.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.53 ฿17.22

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿146

$4.69 ฿153

-4.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 ฿430

$18.66 ฿609

-29.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿56.8

$1.80 ฿58.8

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿87.5

$3.23 ฿106

-17.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿30.98

$0.90 ฿29.26

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿36.07

$1.41 ฿45.91

-21.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.19

$1.29 ฿42.12

-6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 ฿198

$7.84 ฿256

-22.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.11

$1.27 ฿41.58

-3.15%

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

$28.1K ฿918.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

32.17%

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

$27.1K ฿884.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

21.93%

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

$76.9 ฿2,511

$69.1 ฿2,256

11.32%

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

$13.76 ฿449

$14.08 ฿460

-2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 ฿613

$18.00 ฿588

4.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 ฿1,593

$41.06 ฿1,341

18.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.05 ฿394

$6.96 ฿227

73.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ฿236

$5.92 ฿193

22.13%

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

$293 ฿9,569

$299 ฿9,766

-2.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,473 ฿309.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-36.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.64 ฿1,099

$54.7 ฿1,787

-38.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 ฿1,115

$26.77 ฿874

27.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 ฿3,185

$85.0 ฿2,776

14.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 ฿2,329

$70.6 ฿2,306

1.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 ฿13.7K

$428 ฿14.0K

-1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,422

$237 ฿7,752

21.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.0K

$801 ฿26.2K

-0.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ฿21.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

28.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,338 ฿76.3K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

18.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,613 ฿52.7K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

9.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.00%

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

Last update for Loei: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in Loei versus $428 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 $28.00 in Loei versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Loei vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Loei 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

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

Loei costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,381 per month in Loei and $1,300 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 $28.00 in Loei and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Loei – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Loei at $921. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Loei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $921 in Loei. 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, Loei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.