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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Metn vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,336 per month in Metn vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,827 per month in Metn vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Metn is about 2% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Metn and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Metn 37% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 LBP 986.1K

$1.94 ฿63.5

468.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 LBP 5.4M

$18.64 ฿609

226.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 LBP 725.3K

$7.82 ฿255

3.58%

Cappuccino

$3.42 LBP 305.9K

$1.95 ฿63.8

75.38%

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

$1.58 LBP 141.3K

$0.85 ฿27.77

85.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 LBP 84.0K

$0.35 ฿11.58

168.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 LBP 307.8K

$2.13 ฿69.6

61.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 LBP 445.2K

$3.73 ฿122

33.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 LBP 160.9K

$1.71 ฿56.0

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 LBP 70.2K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-52.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

$1.14 ฿37.15

-11.40%

Eggs

$1.38 LBP 123.5K

$1.93 ฿63.1

-28.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 LBP 544.8K

$16.21 ฿530

-62.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 LBP 566.8K

$3.12 ฿102

102.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 LBP 1.0M

$10.90 ฿356

5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 LBP 160.0K

$2.75 ฿90.0

-34.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 LBP 136.5K

$1.21 ฿39.52

26.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 97.3K

$1.62 ฿53.0

-32.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 97.6K

$1.59 ฿51.8

-31.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 LBP 83.6K

$1.40 ฿45.70

-33.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

$1.17 ฿38.17

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 LBP 74.7K

$0.66 ฿21.60

25.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LBP 42.5K

$0.53 ฿17.22

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.53 LBP 136.7K

$4.69 ฿153

-67.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 LBP 908.5K

$18.66 ฿609

-45.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 LBP 66.4K

$1.80 ฿58.8

-58.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

$3.23 ฿106

-68.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 LBP 454.1K

$1.41 ฿45.91

259.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

$1.29 ฿42.12

-2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.69 LBP 1.8M

$7.84 ฿256

151.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

$1.27 ฿41.58

-25.98%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$21.3K ฿694.9K

63.49%

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

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

$22.2K ฿725.4K

26.10%

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

$212 LBP 19.0M

$69.1 ฿2,256

207.60%

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

$37.24 LBP 3.3M

$14.08 ฿460

164.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.87 LBP 3.3M

$18.00 ฿588

104.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 LBP 717.4K

$5.92 ฿193

35.47%

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

$308 LBP 27.5M

$299 ฿9,766

2.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,443 LBP 397.7M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-70.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 LBP 6.3M

$54.7 ฿1,787

28.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.53 LBP 4.1M

$26.77 ฿874

70.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.9M

$85.0 ฿2,776

42.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 LBP 8.4M

$70.6 ฿2,306

32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 LBP 45.5M

$801 ฿26.2K

-36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

123.20%

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

Last update for Metn: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Metn versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Metn vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Metn 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Metn, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Metn and $1,300 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 $61.0 in Metn 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 31% 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 $845 in Metn and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Metn costs $845 versus $866 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 Metn. 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.