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 $954 per month in Neum vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,494 per month in Neum vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,035 per month in Neum vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Neum costs about 10% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 BAM 14.56

$1.94 ฿63.5

346.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.82 BAM 70.3

$18.64 ฿609

124.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 BAM 12.82

$7.82 ฿255

-2.43%

Cappuccino

$1.65 BAM 2.77

$1.95 ฿63.8

-15.38%

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

$1.94 BAM 3.26

$0.85 ฿27.77

128.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$0.35 ฿11.58

245.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 BAM 3.51

$2.13 ฿69.6

-1.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 BAM 4.72

$3.73 ฿122

-24.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 BAM 2.22

$1.71 ฿56.0

-22.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 BAM 2.07

$1.63 ฿53.2

-24.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 BAM 2.65

$1.14 ฿37.15

38.60%

Eggs

$3.01 BAM 5.05

$1.93 ฿63.1

55.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 BAM 16.12

$16.21 ฿530

-40.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 BAM 14.71

$3.12 ฿102

180.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 BAM 19.50

$10.90 ฿356

6.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 BAM 2.37

$2.75 ฿90.0

-48.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.75

$1.21 ฿39.52

35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BAM 3.26

$1.62 ฿53.0

19.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.43

$1.59 ฿51.8

28.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.94

$1.40 ฿45.70

-17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 BAM 1.86

$1.17 ฿38.17

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 BAM 2.04

$0.66 ฿21.60

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 BAM 1.23

$0.53 ฿17.22

37.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 BAM 6.10

$4.69 ฿153

-22.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.06 BAM 6.81

$18.66 ฿609

-78.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.28

$1.80 ฿58.8

-57.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 BAM 1.90

$3.23 ฿106

-65.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 BAM 3.11

$0.90 ฿29.26

105.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.69 BAM 58.3

$19.21 ฿628

80.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 BAM 2.52

$1.41 ฿45.91

6.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 BAM 1.84

$1.29 ฿42.12

-14.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 BAM 12.23

$7.84 ฿256

-7.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BAM 2.60

$1.27 ฿41.58

21.26%

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

$29.1K BAM 48.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

36.65%

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

$26.4K BAM 44.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

18.71%

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

$174 BAM 292

$69.1 ฿2,256

151.64%

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

$18.87 BAM 31.70

$14.08 ฿460

34.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.01 BAM 40.33

$18.00 ฿588

33.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.99 BAM 48.71

$41.06 ฿1,341

-29.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.97 BAM 18.43

$6.96 ฿227

57.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 BAM 8.08

$5.92 ฿193

-18.75%

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

$203 BAM 342

$299 ฿9,766

-31.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,618 BAM 6,079

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-75.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 BAM 117

$54.7 ฿1,787

27.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.84 BAM 60.2

$26.77 ฿874

33.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 BAM 150

$85.0 ฿2,776

5.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 BAM 186

$70.6 ฿2,306

56.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 BAM 438

$428 ฿14.0K

-39.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 BAM 284

$237 ฿7,752

-28.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 BAM 610

$801 ฿26.2K

-54.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 BAM 529

$515 ฿16.8K

-38.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,608 BAM 4,382

$1,975 ฿64.5K

32.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 BAM 3,088

$1,475 ฿48.2K

24.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 BAM 1,482

$617 ฿20.2K

42.84%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in Neum versus $428 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 43% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Neum vs $246 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 10% 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 $1,431 per month in Neum and $1,300 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 $203 per month in Neum and $299 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 $954 in Neum and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $954 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.