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 $716 per month in Nandaime vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,154 per month in Nandaime vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Nandaime vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nandaime is about 18% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 NIO 184

$1.98 ฿65.0

153.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 NIO 1,284

$18.80 ฿619

86.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 NIO 259

$7.75 ฿255

-8.65%

Cappuccino

$2.46 NIO 90.0

$1.92 ฿63.2

28.13%

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

$0.84 NIO 30.86

$0.79 ฿26.07

6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NIO 25.38

$0.36 ฿11.74

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 NIO 47.01

$2.21 ฿72.9

-42.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NIO 71.9

$3.66 ฿120

-46.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 NIO 45.02

$1.65 ฿54.4

-25.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 NIO 88.9

$1.63 ฿53.7

49.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.8

$1.19 ฿39.28

52.94%

Eggs

$2.31 NIO 84.8

$2.00 ฿65.8

15.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 NIO 418

$15.98 ฿526

-28.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 NIO 242

$3.03 ฿99.6

117.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 NIO 301

$10.86 ฿357

-24.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 NIO 139

$2.76 ฿90.9

37.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 NIO 30.97

$1.18 ฿38.83

-27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 NIO 66.3

$1.64 ฿54.0

10.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.4

$1.52 ฿50.0

42.76%

Potato (1kg)

$4.03 NIO 147

$1.38 ฿45.59

192.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

$1.19 ฿39.25

81.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 NIO 37.69

$0.70 ฿23.11

47.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NIO 38.15

$0.56 ฿18.32

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 NIO 96.9

$4.58 ฿151

-42.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 NIO 528

$16.56 ฿545

-12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$1.83 ฿60.2

-20.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NIO 80.5

$3.20 ฿105

-31.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 NIO 55.4

$1.36 ฿44.64

11.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 NIO 248

$7.84 ฿258

-13.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 NIO 47.71

$1.23 ฿40.35

5.69%

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

$23.3K NIO 854.0K

$21.6K ฿711.8K

7.84%

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

$26.8K NIO 980.6K

$22.5K ฿742.2K

18.75%

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

$97.8 NIO 3,580

$70.5 ฿2,322

38.57%

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

$17.15 NIO 628

$13.68 ฿450

25.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.47 NIO 1,372

$17.45 ฿574

114.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 NIO 297

$5.77 ฿190

40.38%

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

$122 NIO 4,486

$307 ฿10.1K

-60.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,966 NIO 218.5K

$14.6K ฿481.0K

-59.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 NIO 2,845

$55.8 ฿1,837

39.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.5 NIO 2,691

$26.21 ฿863

180.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,764

$85.8 ฿2,823

51.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,938

$72.2 ฿2,378

48.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 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: $261 vs $241 – 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 $1,075 per month in Nandaime and $1,303 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 8% 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 $716 in Nandaime and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nandaime costs $716 versus $869 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.