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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $891 per month in Nonthaburi vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,386 per month in Nonthaburi vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,881 per month in Nonthaburi vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nonthaburi costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nonthaburi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Nonthaburi 33% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 ฿102

$1.96 ฿63.6

60.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.62 ฿703

$18.39 ฿598

17.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 ฿205

$7.87 ฿256

-19.70%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ฿67.6

$1.95 ฿63.4

6.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.34

$0.85 ฿27.57

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.69

$0.32 ฿10.52

-15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ฿66.8

$2.14 ฿69.6

-4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$3.68 ฿120

-1.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ฿51.1

$1.66 ฿53.9

-5.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿43.68

$1.56 ฿50.7

-14.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 ฿40.55

$1.19 ฿38.63

5.04%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿71.5

$1.99 ฿64.7

10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.29 ฿595

$16.24 ฿528

12.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 ฿91.0

$3.17 ฿103

-11.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿303

$10.84 ฿352

-14.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$2.65 ฿86.2

27.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ฿58.1

$1.22 ฿39.67

46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.65 ฿53.7

10.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.4

$1.55 ฿50.3

1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ฿54.1

$1.33 ฿43.17

25.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.04

$1.21 ฿39.43

17.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ฿34.60

$0.68 ฿22.04

55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.90

$0.57 ฿18.38

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 ฿140

$4.68 ฿152

-7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 ฿471

$16.99 ฿552

-14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.4

$1.82 ฿59.3

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿110

$3.18 ฿103

6.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.23

$0.91 ฿29.46

-1.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.03 ฿1,204

$18.74 ฿609

97.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿35.99

$1.41 ฿45.80

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ฿37.88

$1.34 ฿43.52

-12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 ฿134

$8.14 ฿265

-49.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.74

$1.28 ฿41.53

5.47%

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

$36.4K ฿1.2M

$21.8K ฿709.3K

66.83%

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

$27.9K ฿906.7K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

24.54%

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

$88.3 ฿2,870

$70.5 ฿2,291

25.28%

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

$13.04 ฿424

$14.05 ฿457

-7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.98 ฿552

$17.65 ฿574

-3.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ฿1,767

$41.29 ฿1,342

31.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.36 ฿402

$6.76 ฿220

82.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 ฿198

$5.96 ฿194

2.52%

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

$431 ฿14.0K

$303 ฿9,846

42.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ฿432.2K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-11.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.48 ฿991

$54.7 ฿1,778

-44.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.36 ฿1,247

$26.29 ฿854

45.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ฿3,460

$85.8 ฿2,788

24.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.0 ฿2,829

$69.7 ฿2,265

24.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ฿23.3K

$428 ฿13.9K

67.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 ฿6,261

$239 ฿7,769

-19.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 ฿27.0K

$811 ฿26.4K

2.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 ฿14.2K

$510 ฿16.6K

-14.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

16.80%

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

Last update for Nonthaburi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $717 in Nonthaburi 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Nonthaburi versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 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

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

Nonthaburi costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,336 per month in Nonthaburi and $1,272 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 $431 per month in Nonthaburi and $303 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Nonthaburi, 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 $848, than in Nonthaburi at $891. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nonthaburi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $891 in Nonthaburi. 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, Nonthaburi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.