Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Victoria and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Victoria and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,290 per month in Mount Victoria vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,396 per month in Mount Victoria vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,502 per month in Mount Victoria vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mount Victoria costs about 169% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mount Victoria sits 72% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.31 A$23.22

$2.04 ฿68.2

699.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 A$123

$18.71 ฿625

361.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.71 A$13.82

$7.86 ฿262

23.54%

Cappuccino

$3.34 A$4.75

$2.03 ฿67.7

64.53%

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

$2.58 A$3.68

$0.80 ฿26.66

222.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.33

$0.35 ฿11.69

568.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$9.00

$2.14 ฿71.6

195.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.66 A$10.90

$3.67 ฿122

108.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.92

$1.73 ฿57.7

-21.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 A$3.65

$1.57 ฿52.5

63.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 A$2.54

$1.20 ฿40.03

48.33%

Eggs

$4.17 A$5.94

$1.97 ฿65.9

111.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 A$14.11

$16.23 ฿542

-38.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.92

$3.06 ฿102

196.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.43 A$20.54

$10.80 ฿361

33.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 A$4.76

$2.77 ฿92.4

20.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.20

$1.17 ฿38.98

152.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.35

$1.71 ฿57.0

78.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 A$6.61

$1.59 ฿53.2

192.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 A$3.22

$1.39 ฿46.55

62.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 A$3.13

$1.16 ฿38.60

89.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.51

$0.66 ฿22.07

272.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$0.52 ฿17.32

148.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.92 A$44.01

$4.65 ฿155

564.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 A$20.87

$17.78 ฿594

-17.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.99 A$7.11

$1.79 ฿59.7

178.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 A$8.42

$3.34 ฿112

77.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 A$3.62

$0.91 ฿30.30

179.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 A$93.5

$18.64 ฿623

252.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 A$5.64

$1.41 ฿47.08

180.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 A$2.46

$1.34 ฿44.74

29.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.34 A$58.8

$8.11 ฿271

409.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.61

$1.23 ฿41.19

-8.13%

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

$29.3K A$41.6K

$21.4K ฿715.7K

36.48%

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

$22.6K A$32.1K

$21.8K ฿728.7K

3.44%

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

$221 A$315

$71.3 ฿2,382

210.09%

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

$29.79 A$42.40

$14.01 ฿468

112.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 A$75.1

$17.93 ฿599

194.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.67 A$70.7

$40.82 ฿1,363

21.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.82 A$22.52

$6.88 ฿230

129.94%

Cinema Ticket

$13.68 A$19.48

$5.72 ฿191

139.16%

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

$1,738 A$2,474

$308 ฿10.3K

463.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K A$19.1K

$14.7K ฿490.1K

-8.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 A$101

$55.8 ฿1,862

27.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 A$80.3

$26.04 ฿869

116.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 A$142

$84.8 ฿2,832

17.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 A$161

$71.0 ฿2,370

59.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 A$1,782

$423 ฿14.1K

195.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 A$1,500

$242 ฿8,095

334.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 A$2,827

$797 ฿26.6K

149.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 A$2,386

$507 ฿16.9K

230.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,858 A$8,338

$1,918 ฿64.1K

205.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,564 A$7,919

$1,464 ฿48.9K

280.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,276 A$6,086

$595 ฿19.9K

618.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

25.80%

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

Last update for Mount Victoria: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,252 in Mount Victoria versus $423 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 619% higher in Mount Victoria, 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 $86.0 in Mount Victoria versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $244 – 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

Mount Victoria vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Victoria costs about 169% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $3,436 per month in Mount Victoria and $1,279 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,738 per month in Mount Victoria and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Mount Victoria, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Mount Victoria at $2,290. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mount Victoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,290 in Mount Victoria. 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, Mount Victoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.