Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Ratchasima and Chiang Rai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Rai: $713 a month against $777 in Nakhon Ratchasima, rent and utilities included – about $770 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Nakhon Ratchasima
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Nakhon Ratchasima Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Rai
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Chiang Rai Living Index

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Nakhon Ratchasima

🇹🇭 Thailand

$777

/mo nomad

Chiang Rai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$713

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nakhon Ratchasima and in Chiang Rai

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $777 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $713 in Chiang Rai.

Nakhon Ratchasima $777
Chiang Rai $713

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,275 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,132 in Chiang Rai.

Nakhon Ratchasima $1,275
Chiang Rai $1,132

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,773 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,551 in Chiang Rai.

Nakhon Ratchasima $1,773
Chiang Rai $1,551

Living in Nakhon Ratchasima is roughly 9% more expensive than in Chiang Rai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nakhon Ratchasima 43% lower, Chiang Rai 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 ฿94.9

$2.21 ฿74.0

28.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.08 ฿871

$15.02 ฿502

73.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 ฿201

$5.45 ฿182

10.28%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿64.2

$1.31 ฿43.76

46.56%

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

$0.57 ฿19.14

$0.62 ฿20.71

-8.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.65

$0.27 ฿8.96

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 ฿61.1

$1.61 ฿53.9

13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿92.0

$3.62 ฿121

-24.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.97 ฿66.0

-19.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ฿42.52

$1.41 ฿47.09

-9.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ฿40.98

$1.17 ฿39.25

5.13%

Eggs

$1.50 ฿50.2

$1.87 ฿62.5

-19.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿522

$16.72 ฿559

-6.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.66 ฿88.9

$2.73 ฿91.2

-2.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 ฿338

$9.35 ฿312

8.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ฿104

$2.42 ฿80.8

28.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.68

$0.86 ฿28.67

48.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$1.53 ฿51.3

21.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ฿65.1

$0.87 ฿28.95

124.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.24

$1.29 ฿43.27

-6.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.37

$1.08 ฿35.97

-4.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ฿41.02

$0.72 ฿24.19

70.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 ฿12.60

$0.52 ฿17.39

-26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ฿96.7

$3.78 ฿126

-23.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 ฿590

$17.54 ฿586

0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ฿57.2

$1.59 ฿53.0

7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ฿100.0

$2.87 ฿96.0

4.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ฿14.40

$0.83 ฿27.77

-48.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.99 ฿635

$22.15 ฿740

-14.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ฿34.03

$1.18 ฿39.43

-13.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 ฿37.66

$0.56 ฿18.76

101.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.30 ฿244

$2.37 ฿79.2

208.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿45.03

$1.37 ฿45.62

-1.46%

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

$46.6K ฿1.6M

$20.9K ฿698.8K

123.05%

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

$26.6K ฿889.2K

$27.1K ฿906.6K

-1.92%

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

$86.1 ฿2,877

$61.5 ฿2,055

39.98%

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

$11.39 ฿381

$12.14 ฿406

-6.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.25 ฿643

$13.57 ฿454

41.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 ฿1,568

$35.83 ฿1,197

30.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.91 ฿498

$5.80 ฿194

157.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ฿158

$2.89 ฿96.7

62.98%

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

$180 ฿6,020

$770 ฿25.7K

-76.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ฿470.9K

$14.6K ฿487.9K

-3.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.69 ฿1,661

$54.6 ฿1,824

-8.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.73 ฿994

$25.10 ฿839

18.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 ฿2,637

$74.9 ฿2,502

5.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.1 ฿2,243

$73.1 ฿2,444

-8.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 ฿7,263

$229 ฿7,669

-5.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 ฿5,292

$154 ฿5,141

2.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 ฿16.6K

$502 ฿16.8K

-1.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 ฿14.1K

$355 ฿11.9K

18.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 ฿109.9K

$1,910 ฿63.8K

72.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,737 ฿58.1K

$955 ฿31.9K

81.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$615 ฿20.6K

$585 ฿19.6K

5.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.1

5.57

-8.44%

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

Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Rai: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Nakhon Ratchasima

$235 30.3%

Chiang Rai

$230 32.2% 2.5% $5.8

Accommodation & Living

Nakhon Ratchasima

$158 20.4%

Chiang Rai

$154 21.6% 2.9% $4.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nakhon Ratchasima

$117 15%

Chiang Rai

$87 12.2% 25.3% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Nakhon Ratchasima

$101 13.1%

Chiang Rai

$102 14.4% 1% $1

Eating Out

Nakhon Ratchasima

$82 10.5%

Chiang Rai

$69 9.6% 16.2% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Nakhon Ratchasima

$56 7.3%

Chiang Rai

$42 5.8% 26.1% $15

Getting Around

Nakhon Ratchasima

$27 3.5%

Chiang Rai

$29 4.1% 7.7% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $217 in Nakhon Ratchasima and $229 in Chiang Rai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nakhon Ratchasima pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $26.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima vs $15.00 in Chiang Rai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $230 per month, with Chiang Rai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Nakhon Ratchasima

🇹🇭 Chiang Rai

🕒 Local time

07:15 7:15 AM

Same time as Nakhon Ratchasima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

126,391

77,672

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Nakhon Ratchasima Chiang Rai 600 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Nakhon Ratchasima
Chiang Rai

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

Nakhon Ratchasima vs Chiang Rai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nakhon Ratchasima and Chiang Rai differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($777 vs $713 including rent). Chiang Rai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Nakhon Ratchasima, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $217 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $229 in Chiang Rai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $180 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $770 in Chiang Rai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Nakhon Ratchasima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Chiang Rai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Nakhon Ratchasima and Chiang Rai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Rai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Nakhon Ratchasima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.