Cost of Living Comparison Between New Taipei City and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between New Taipei City and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,384 per month in New Taipei City vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,281 per month in New Taipei City vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,179 per month in New Taipei City vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

New Taipei City costs about 62% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

New Taipei City sits 3% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 NT$163

$1.96 ฿63.6

163.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 NT$1,077

$18.81 ฿611

81.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 NT$179

$7.92 ฿258

-28.41%

Cappuccino

$2.94 NT$92.7

$1.91 ฿62.2

53.93%

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

$0.89 NT$28.00

$0.84 ฿27.25

5.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 NT$24.78

$0.35 ฿11.44

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 NT$64.6

$2.21 ฿71.7

-7.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 NT$86.4

$3.80 ฿124

-27.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.20 NT$101

$1.64 ฿53.2

95.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 NT$59.8

$1.62 ฿52.8

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 NT$95.1

$1.18 ฿38.40

155.08%

Eggs

$2.92 NT$92.2

$2.01 ฿65.4

45.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.31 NT$641

$15.89 ฿517

27.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 NT$277

$3.01 ฿98.0

191.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 NT$641

$10.77 ฿350

88.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 NT$148

$2.61 ฿85.0

78.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 NT$83.3

$1.22 ฿39.65

116.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 NT$86.1

$1.70 ฿55.4

60.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 NT$133

$1.58 ฿51.2

166.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 NT$88.6

$1.32 ฿42.89

112.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 NT$72.3

$1.17 ฿38.01

95.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 NT$64.1

$0.67 ฿21.85

202.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 NT$41.19

$0.56 ฿18.21

132.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 NT$128

$4.53 ฿147

-10.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.37 NT$296

$18.20 ฿592

-48.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$52.1

$1.83 ฿59.6

-9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NT$73.7

$3.23 ฿105

-27.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$20.45

$0.89 ฿28.83

-26.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.17 NT$1,300

$19.38 ฿630

112.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 NT$89.8

$1.35 ฿43.95

110.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.48

$1.35 ฿43.79

-45.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.21 NT$322

$8.25 ฿268

23.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.81

$1.27 ฿41.40

-15.75%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

82.77%

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

$28.0K NT$885.3K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

24.71%

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

$97.4 NT$3,076

$70.2 ฿2,281

38.90%

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

$24.77 NT$782

$13.77 ฿448

79.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 NT$765

$17.60 ฿572

37.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.12 NT$1,235

$41.57 ฿1,352

-5.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.27 NT$514

$6.60 ฿215

146.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 NT$368

$5.78 ฿188

101.56%

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

$633 NT$20.0K

$306 ฿9,953

106.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K NT$589.8K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

26.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.3 NT$2,472

$54.4 ฿1,768

44.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.44 NT$1,087

$26.14 ฿850

31.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 NT$2,998

$84.5 ฿2,748

12.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NT$3,889

$69.4 ฿2,257

77.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 NT$20.7K

$424 ฿13.8K

54.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 NT$14.6K

$238 ฿7,743

94.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 NT$54.6K

$825 ฿26.8K

109.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 NT$34.2K

$515 ฿16.7K

110.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K NT$399.6K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

517.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,233 NT$228.4K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

375.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 NT$43.1K

$635 ฿20.6K

115.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

-56.20%

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

Last update for New Taipei City: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $655 in New Taipei City versus $424 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 115% higher in New Taipei City, 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 $34.00 in New Taipei City versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $243 – 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

New Taipei City vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Taipei City costs about 62% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,076 per month in New Taipei City and $1,278 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 $633 per month in New Taipei City and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in New Taipei City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in New Taipei City at $1,384. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Taipei City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,384 in New Taipei City. 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, New Taipei City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.