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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $892 per month in Lucea vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,422 per month in Lucea vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,951 per month in Lucea vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lucea costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lucea and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Lucea 34% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 JMD 1,214

$1.98 ฿65.0

289.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 JMD 9,970

$18.80 ฿619

237.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 JMD 1,345

$7.75 ฿255

10.32%

Cappuccino

$4.26 JMD 670

$1.92 ฿63.2

121.88%

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

$1.38 JMD 217

$0.79 ฿26.07

74.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.36 ฿11.74

97.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 JMD 402

$2.21 ฿72.9

15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 JMD 480

$3.66 ฿120

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.40 JMD 692

$1.65 ฿54.4

166.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 JMD 564

$1.63 ฿53.7

119.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 JMD 245

$1.19 ฿39.28

31.09%

Eggs

$3.59 JMD 565

$2.00 ฿65.8

79.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 JMD 1,711

$15.98 ฿526

-31.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 JMD 1,002

$3.03 ฿99.6

110.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 JMD 1,218

$10.86 ฿357

-28.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 JMD 928

$2.76 ฿90.9

113.77%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 487

$1.18 ฿38.83

162.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 JMD 673

$1.64 ฿54.0

160.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 482

$1.52 ฿50.0

101.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 330

$1.38 ฿45.59

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 303

$1.19 ฿39.25

62.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 JMD 482

$0.70 ฿23.11

337.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 229

$0.56 ฿18.32

160.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.89 JMD 1,398

$4.58 ฿151

94.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 JMD 1,778

$16.56 ฿545

-31.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 JMD 450

$1.83 ฿60.2

56.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 498

$3.20 ฿105

-1.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 JMD 177

$1.36 ฿44.64

-16.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 502

$1.34 ฿44.12

138.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 JMD 964

$7.84 ฿258

-21.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.23 ฿40.35

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

$21.6K ฿711.8K

97.46%

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

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

$22.5K ฿742.2K

51.73%

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

$165 JMD 26.0K

$70.5 ฿2,322

134.05%

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

$22.15 JMD 3,485

$13.68 ฿450

61.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 JMD 7,959

$17.45 ฿574

189.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$13.28 JMD 2,089

$5.77 ฿190

130.16%

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

$222 JMD 34.9K

$307 ฿10.1K

-27.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,446 JMD 384.7K

$14.6K ฿481.0K

-83.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.37 JMD 4,148

$55.8 ฿1,837

-52.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.81 JMD 4,059

$26.21 ฿863

-1.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 JMD 11.3K

$85.8 ฿2,823

-15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

$72.2 ฿2,378

6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

83.00%

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

Last update for Lucea: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lucea versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $241 – 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

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

Lucea costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,338 per month in Lucea and $1,303 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 $63.0 in Lucea 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 46% more in Lucea, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $892 in Lucea and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $892 in Lucea. 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, Lucea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.