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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $952 per month in Neum vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,490 per month in Neum vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,027 per month in Neum vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Neum costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Neum and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Neum 29% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 BAM 14.71

$1.96 ฿65.9

338.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.64 BAM 71.2

$18.35 ฿617

126.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 BAM 12.88

$7.48 ฿252

0.67%

Cappuccino

$1.65 BAM 2.82

$2.02 ฿67.8

-18.32%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$0.85 ฿28.52

137.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$0.36 ฿11.97

219.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$2.14 ฿71.9

-2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 BAM 4.76

$3.59 ฿121

-22.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 BAM 2.28

$1.65 ฿55.5

-18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$1.57 ฿52.7

-18.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 BAM 2.70

$1.19 ฿40.05

32.77%

Eggs

$2.95 BAM 5.05

$1.94 ฿65.1

52.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 BAM 15.82

$16.19 ฿545

-42.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.51 BAM 14.56

$2.99 ฿101

184.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 BAM 20.01

$10.94 ฿368

6.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 BAM 2.45

$2.71 ฿91.2

-46.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.80

$1.17 ฿39.27

40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BAM 3.32

$1.69 ฿56.8

14.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 BAM 3.45

$1.60 ฿54.0

25.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$1.38 ฿46.56

-15.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 BAM 1.89

$1.20 ฿40.47

-7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BAM 1.97

$0.67 ฿22.51

71.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.21

$0.56 ฿18.74

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 BAM 6.47

$4.64 ฿156

-18.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.04 BAM 6.91

$17.62 ฿593

-77.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.22

$1.86 ฿62.6

-61.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.85

$3.30 ฿111

-67.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 BAM 3.11

$0.88 ฿29.70

106.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.23 BAM 60.3

$19.34 ฿651

82.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 BAM 2.45

$1.36 ฿45.92

5.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 BAM 1.86

$1.34 ฿45.00

-18.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 BAM 12.38

$8.21 ฿276

-11.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.53

$1.22 ฿41.20

21.31%

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

$28.2K BAM 48.2K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

32.06%

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

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

15.97%

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

$174 BAM 298

$70.7 ฿2,378

146.50%

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

$19.43 BAM 33.23

$14.04 ฿472

38.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.03 BAM 41.10

$17.49 ฿589

37.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.92 BAM 51.2

$42.15 ฿1,418

-29.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.09 BAM 18.97

$6.88 ฿231

61.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 BAM 7.99

$5.92 ฿199

-21.11%

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

$207 BAM 354

$309 ฿10.4K

-32.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,694 BAM 6,319

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-75.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 BAM 120

$55.8 ฿1,876

26.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 BAM 62.9

$26.11 ฿879

40.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 BAM 150

$83.0 ฿2,793

5.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 BAM 195

$70.5 ฿2,371

61.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 BAM 448

$432 ฿14.5K

-39.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 BAM 285

$239 ฿8,040

-30.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 BAM 621

$822 ฿27.7K

-55.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 BAM 537

$512 ฿17.2K

-38.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,490 BAM 4,259

$1,915 ฿64.4K

30.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,817 BAM 3,107

$1,467 ฿49.4K

23.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$877 BAM 1,500

$579 ฿19.5K

51.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

-42.00%

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

Last update for Neum: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Neum versus $432 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.

Salaries run about 51% higher in Neum, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Neum versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Neum vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Neum wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Neum costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,428 per month in Neum and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Neum and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Neum – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $952 in Neum and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $952 in Neum. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Neum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.