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 $711 per month in Nandaime vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,154 per month in Nandaime vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,597 per month in Nandaime vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nandaime is about 16% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nandaime and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Nandaime 47% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 NIO 178

$2.03 ฿68.2

139.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.03 NIO 1,283

$18.71 ฿629

87.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 NIO 260

$7.84 ฿263

-9.57%

Cappuccino

$2.38 NIO 87.1

$1.93 ฿64.7

23.32%

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

$0.84 NIO 30.62

$0.83 ฿27.92

1.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 NIO 25.77

$0.35 ฿11.77

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 NIO 46.63

$2.22 ฿74.6

-42.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NIO 72.6

$3.79 ฿127

-47.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 NIO 44.93

$1.65 ฿55.3

-25.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 NIO 85.9

$1.55 ฿52.1

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NIO 68.1

$1.18 ฿39.69

57.63%

Eggs

$2.24 NIO 82.0

$2.01 ฿67.7

11.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.02 NIO 404

$16.16 ฿543

-31.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 NIO 244

$3.03 ฿102

120.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 NIO 295

$10.84 ฿364

-25.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 NIO 144

$2.68 ฿90.0

46.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 NIO 32.80

$1.22 ฿41.03

-26.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 66.9

$1.63 ฿54.6

12.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 NIO 82.2

$1.53 ฿51.3

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 NIO 141

$1.34 ฿44.98

186.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 82.8

$1.21 ฿40.75

86.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 NIO 37.53

$0.70 ฿23.57

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.69

$0.53 ฿17.65

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 NIO 98.1

$4.69 ฿157

-42.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.52 NIO 532

$17.71 ฿595

-18.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NIO 51.1

$1.85 ฿62.0

-24.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 NIO 82.4

$3.21 ฿108

-29.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 NIO 56.5

$1.41 ฿47.27

9.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 NIO 251

$7.79 ฿262

-12.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 NIO 48.23

$1.29 ฿43.47

2.33%

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

$23.1K NIO 846.2K

$21.8K ฿731.4K

6.14%

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

$26.9K NIO 984.3K

$21.7K ฿728.8K

23.90%

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

$100 NIO 3,673

$70.0 ฿2,351

43.33%

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

$16.92 NIO 620

$14.19 ฿477

19.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.57 NIO 1,376

$17.42 ฿585

115.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,399

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 NIO 301

$5.78 ฿194

42.39%

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

$125 NIO 4,579

$300 ฿10.1K

-58.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,959 NIO 218.2K

$14.5K ฿487.9K

-58.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 NIO 2,791

$55.4 ฿1,860

37.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.9 NIO 2,708

$26.31 ฿884

181.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 NIO 4,810

$84.8 ฿2,851

54.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,965

$70.5 ฿2,368

53.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,898

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.7K

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nandaime versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $242 – 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 19% 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 $1,067 per month in Nandaime and $1,271 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% 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 $711 in Nandaime and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nandaime costs $711 versus $847 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.