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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,282 per month in Ningi vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,168 per month in Ningi vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,054 per month in Ningi vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ningi costs about 168% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ningi sits 71% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 A$23.36

$2.04 ฿68.2

706.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 A$72.6

$18.71 ฿624

173.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 A$9.84

$7.86 ฿262

-11.83%

Cappuccino

$2.78 A$3.95

$2.03 ฿67.7

36.95%

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

$2.08 A$2.95

$0.80 ฿26.64

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 A$2.69

$0.35 ฿11.68

442.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.33 A$8.98

$2.14 ฿71.5

195.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 A$10.85

$3.67 ฿122

108.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 A$2.01

$1.73 ฿57.6

-17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 A$3.18

$1.57 ฿52.4

42.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.17

$1.20 ฿39.99

85.83%

Eggs

$3.23 A$4.58

$1.97 ฿65.8

63.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.40 A$10.50

$16.23 ฿541

-54.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 A$11.23

$3.06 ฿102

158.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 A$17.63

$10.80 ฿360

15.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.75

$2.77 ฿92.3

-4.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.16

$1.17 ฿38.94

90.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 A$3.71

$1.71 ฿57.0

52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 A$5.29

$1.59 ฿53.2

134.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.30

$1.39 ฿46.51

66.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 A$3.38

$1.16 ฿38.56

105.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 A$2.75

$0.66 ฿22.05

192.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 A$2.28

$0.52 ฿17.31

209.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.38 A$37.44

$4.65 ฿155

467.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 A$20.25

$17.78 ฿593

-19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.30 A$8.93

$1.79 ฿59.6

251.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 A$9.48

$3.34 ฿111

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.63

$0.91 ฿30.27

181.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 A$92.3

$18.64 ฿622

249.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 A$2.81

$1.41 ฿47.04

40.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 A$1.63

$1.34 ฿44.70

-14.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.80 A$47.95

$8.11 ฿270

316.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.63

$1.23 ฿41.16

-6.50%

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

$22.8K A$32.4K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

6.36%

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

$19.2K A$27.2K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

-12.05%

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

$219 A$311

$71.3 ฿2,379

206.98%

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

$32.54 A$46.17

$14.01 ฿467

132.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.39 A$68.7

$17.93 ฿598

169.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 A$68.9

$40.82 ฿1,362

19.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.85 A$22.48

$6.88 ฿230

130.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 A$18.12

$5.72 ฿191

123.25%

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

$2,147 A$3,047

$308 ฿10.3K

596.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,222 A$10.2K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-50.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 A$72.5

$55.8 ฿1,860

-8.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.08 A$66.8

$26.04 ฿869

80.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 A$127

$84.8 ฿2,829

5.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 A$176

$71.0 ฿2,368

75.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 A$1,812

$423 ฿14.1K

201.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 A$1,520

$242 ฿8,088

341.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 A$2,818

$797 ฿26.6K

149.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 A$2,353

$507 ฿16.9K

227.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,667 A$8,041

$1,918 ฿64.0K

195.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,523 A$6,417

$1,464 ฿48.8K

208.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

30.80%

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

Last update for Ningi: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,277 in Ningi versus $423 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Ningi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $244 – 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

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

Ningi costs about 168% 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 $3,423 per month in Ningi and $1,279 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 $2,147 per month in Ningi and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Ningi, 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 Ningi at $2,282. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ningi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,282 in Ningi. 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, Ningi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.