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 $786 per month in Nandaime vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,261 per month in Nandaime vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,735 per month in Nandaime vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nandaime is about 17% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Nandaime and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Nandaime 43% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.13 NIO 371

$2.10 ฿69.3

382.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.46 NIO 1,372

$19.84 ฿656

88.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 NIO 280

$5.79 ฿191

32.30%

Cappuccino

$2.58 NIO 94.3

$1.83 ฿60.4

40.98%

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

$0.89 NIO 32.51

$0.78 ฿25.61

14.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NIO 26.40

$0.31 ฿10.37

132.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 NIO 53.7

$2.34 ฿77.2

-37.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 NIO 74.7

$3.70 ฿122

-44.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.45

$2.03 ฿67.1

-38.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 NIO 86.9

$1.60 ฿52.7

48.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 NIO 62.6

$1.42 ฿46.75

20.42%

Eggs

$2.28 NIO 83.6

$2.18 ฿71.9

4.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 NIO 424

$15.91 ฿526

-27.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 NIO 245

$3.07 ฿102

117.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 NIO 259

$9.87 ฿326

-28.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 NIO 138

$2.63 ฿86.8

43.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 NIO 22.94

$1.10 ฿36.19

-42.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 64.7

$1.63 ฿53.8

8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 NIO 80.1

$1.53 ฿50.6

43.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 NIO 141

$1.24 ฿41.13

210.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 NIO 81.6

$1.13 ฿37.37

97.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 36.86

$0.74 ฿24.38

36.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.91

$0.50 ฿16.48

112.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 NIO 98.7

$4.28 ฿141

-37.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.65 NIO 537

$17.97 ฿594

-18.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 NIO 53.7

$1.70 ฿56.1

-13.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NIO 81.6

$2.90 ฿95.7

-23.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 NIO 61.5

$1.23 ฿40.76

36.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 NIO 60.2

$0.53 ฿17.66

209.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.66 NIO 244

$2.40 ฿79.3

177.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 NIO 50.4

$1.44 ฿47.55

-4.17%

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

$23.4K NIO 856.3K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

10.32%

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

$26.6K NIO 972.8K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-2.72%

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

$119 NIO 4,361

$64.9 ฿2,145

83.38%

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

$16.82 NIO 616

$13.35 ฿441

25.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.24 NIO 1,327

$20.83 ฿688

73.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 NIO 311

$6.71 ฿222

26.53%

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

$234 NIO 8,565

$787 ฿26.0K

-70.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,018 NIO 220.4K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-60.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NIO 2,608

$56.2 ฿1,858

26.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.7 NIO 2,663

$24.95 ฿824

191.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 NIO 4,840

$92.7 ฿3,063

42.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,931

$75.1 ฿2,482

42.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.57

84.02%

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

Last update for Nandaime: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Nandaime versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $256 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 21% more than Nandaime, 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 $1,179 per month in Nandaime and $1,426 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 $37.00 in Nandaime and $20.00 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nandaime, where all-in costs run around $786, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Nandaime it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nandaime costs $786 versus $950 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.