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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $699 per month in Nandaime vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,123 per month in Nandaime vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,547 per month in Nandaime vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nandaime is about 17% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nandaime and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Nandaime 48% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 NIO 186

$1.95 ฿62.6

158.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.88 NIO 1,283

$18.43 ฿591

89.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 NIO 261

$7.50 ฿241

-5.47%

Cappuccino

$2.34 NIO 86.2

$1.93 ฿62.0

21.24%

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

$0.79 NIO 28.98

$0.78 ฿24.98

1.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NIO 27.05

$0.32 ฿10.38

131.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 NIO 47.63

$2.15 ฿68.9

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 NIO 71.6

$3.71 ฿119

-47.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.45

$1.71 ฿55.0

-26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 NIO 87.9

$1.56 ฿50.1

53.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NIO 68.2

$1.18 ฿37.91

56.78%

Eggs

$2.24 NIO 82.5

$1.98 ฿63.6

13.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 NIO 411

$16.04 ฿515

-30.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 NIO 241

$3.17 ฿102

106.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 NIO 302

$10.94 ฿351

-25.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 NIO 142

$2.63 ฿84.3

46.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 NIO 32.40

$1.17 ฿37.45

-24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 67.4

$1.65 ฿52.8

10.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 NIO 80.8

$1.54 ฿49.31

42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.98 NIO 146

$1.38 ฿44.16

188.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 80.4

$1.17 ฿37.39

86.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 37.16

$0.66 ฿21.16

53.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 NIO 37.49

$0.51 ฿16.48

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 NIO 95.9

$4.52 ฿145

-42.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.47 NIO 532

$18.32 ฿588

-21.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$1.80 ฿57.7

-18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NIO 79.5

$3.18 ฿102

-32.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.85

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 NIO 56.7

$1.41 ฿45.32

9.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿41.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.92 NIO 255

$8.09 ฿260

-14.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 NIO 48.19

$1.28 ฿40.92

2.34%

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

$23.3K NIO 857.6K

$21.3K ฿683.3K

9.47%

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

$25.9K NIO 951.2K

$21.7K ฿696.5K

19.12%

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

$98.9 NIO 3,639

$69.2 ฿2,221

42.92%

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

$17.08 NIO 628

$13.97 ฿448

22.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.63 NIO 1,384

$17.95 ฿576

109.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,358

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 NIO 290

$5.92 ฿190

33.45%

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

$123 NIO 4,543

$299 ฿9,601

-58.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,958 NIO 219.2K

$14.8K ฿476.5K

-59.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 NIO 2,841

$56.2 ฿1,803

37.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.5 NIO 2,704

$26.94 ฿864

172.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,884

$84.9 ฿2,724

56.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NIO 3,918

$71.8 ฿2,305

48.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,696

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

105.00%

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

Last update for Nandaime: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Nandaime versus $435 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Nandaime versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Nandaime, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,048 per month in Nandaime and $1,267 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 $35.00 in Nandaime and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $699 in Nandaime and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nandaime costs $699 versus $845 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 Nandaime. 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.