Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Loja and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Loja: $681 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

33

Cost of Living Index in Loja
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Loja Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Loja

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$681

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Loja and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Loja and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $681 per month in Loja vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Loja $681
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Loja vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Loja $1,074
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,468 per month in Loja vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Loja $1,468
Chiang Mai $1,979

Loja is about 27% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Loja and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Loja 50% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 $3.05

$2.24 ฿75.6

36.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.66 $20.66

$19.00 ฿641

8.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 $5.61

$5.55 ฿187

1.08%

Cappuccino

$2.22 $2.22

$1.67 ฿56.5

32.93%

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

$0.78 $0.78

$0.64 ฿21.55

21.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 $0.43

$0.31 ฿10.31

38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.36 ฿79.6

-48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.66 ฿124

-11.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.95 ฿65.8

-47.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.44 ฿48.48

2.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.33 ฿45.04

-0.75%

Eggs

$1.92 $1.92

$2.28 ฿77.1

-15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$16.45 ฿555

-65.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.78 ฿93.9

54.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$9.31 ฿314

-34.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.35 ฿79.4

-28.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.97 ฿32.80

12.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.60 ฿53.9

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.50 ฿50.6

-25.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.28 ฿43.12

-17.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.10 ฿37.19

-6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.71 ฿23.82

-26.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.49 ฿16.37

126.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 $5.23

$4.14 ฿140

26.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 $6.82

$17.52 ฿591

-61.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.61 ฿54.5

-4.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.78 ฿94.0

5.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.87 ฿29.31

-62.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.52 $30.52

$54.1 ฿1,826

-43.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.16 ฿39.06

6.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.53 ฿17.80

103.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.86 $9.86

$2.42 ฿81.8

307.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.45 ฿48.90

-48.97%

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

$15.0K $15.0K

$21.1K ฿710.7K

-28.55%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$26.9K ฿909.3K

5.85%

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

$19.98 $19.98

$62.2 ฿2,098

-67.86%

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

$11.49 $11.49

$12.17 ฿411

-5.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.07 $27.07

$20.12 ฿679

34.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.70 $29.70

$37.31 ฿1,259

-20.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.03 $15.03

$3.77 ฿127

298.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 $7.26

$6.49 ฿219

11.86%

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

$180 $180

$736 ฿24.8K

-75.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,965 $1,965

$14.8K ฿498.3K

-86.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$53.4 ฿1,801

-1.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.86 $47.86

$24.64 ฿831

94.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 $79.9

$91.5 ฿3,087

-12.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 $73.1

$71.9 ฿2,428

1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 $240

$482 ฿16.3K

-50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 $172

$309 ฿10.4K

-44.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 $377

$1,006 ฿33.9K

-62.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 $315

$633 ฿21.4K

-50.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$559 $559

$2,363 ฿79.8K

-76.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$324 $324

$1,589 ฿53.6K

-79.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 $506

$590 ฿19.9K

-14.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

5.57

52.60%

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

Last update for Loja: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Loja

$172 25.3%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 79.3% $137

Groceries & Markets

Loja

$168 24.6%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 39.8% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Loja

$114 16.8%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 4.8% $5.5

Eating Out

Loja

$85 12.5%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 9.1% $7.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Loja

$59 8.6%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 61.4% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Loja

$44 6.5%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 13.7% $6.1

Getting Around

Loja

$38 5.7%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 59.5% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Loja versus $482 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 17% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $21 in Loja versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Loja vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Loja wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Loja

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

01:48 1:48 AM

13:48 1:48 PM

12 h ahead of Loja

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

180,617

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Loja Chiang Mai 18,360 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Loja
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Loja, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,021 per month in Loja and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Loja, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $240 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Loja and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $681 in Loja and $936 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Loja – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Loja. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.