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 $885 per month in Nonthaburi vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Nonthaburi vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,942 per month in Nonthaburi vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nonthaburi costs about 4% 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

$3.14 ฿105

$2.04 ฿68.2

53.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.46 ฿716

$18.71 ฿624

14.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 ฿206

$7.86 ฿262

-21.50%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.4

$2.03 ฿67.7

-0.49%

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

$0.68 ฿22.81

$0.80 ฿26.64

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.98

$0.35 ฿11.68

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ฿64.7

$2.14 ฿71.5

-9.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.67 ฿122

1.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.73 ฿57.6

-10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.75

$1.57 ฿52.4

-10.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 ฿41.63

$1.20 ฿39.99

4.17%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.5

$1.97 ฿65.8

14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.61 ฿621

$16.23 ฿541

14.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 ฿90.9

$3.06 ฿102

-10.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 ฿318

$10.80 ฿360

-11.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 ฿119

$2.77 ฿92.3

29.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.2

$1.17 ฿38.94

46.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 ฿61.1

$1.71 ฿57.0

7.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.6

$1.59 ฿53.2

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.7

$1.39 ฿46.51

13.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.16 ฿38.56

22.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ฿36.93

$0.66 ฿22.05

68.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.64

$0.52 ฿17.31

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 ฿145

$4.65 ฿155

-6.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 ฿472

$17.78 ฿593

-20.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$1.79 ฿59.6

3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ฿109

$3.34 ฿111

-2.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.97

$0.91 ฿30.27

-1.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.27 ฿1,210

$18.64 ฿622

94.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿36.86

$1.41 ฿47.04

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 ฿37.07

$1.34 ฿44.70

-17.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 ฿141

$8.11 ฿270

-47.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ฿44.27

$1.23 ฿41.16

8.13%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

73.96%

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

$27.6K ฿919.2K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

26.26%

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

$89.1 ฿2,971

$71.3 ฿2,379

24.87%

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

$12.96 ฿432

$14.01 ฿467

-7.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.16 ฿572

$17.93 ฿598

-4.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ฿1,818

$40.82 ฿1,362

33.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.40 ฿414

$6.88 ฿230

80.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ฿202

$5.72 ฿191

5.94%

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

$419 ฿14.0K

$308 ฿10.3K

35.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ฿442.5K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-9.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.31 ฿1,011

$55.8 ฿1,860

-45.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.91 ฿1,298

$26.04 ฿869

49.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ฿3,480

$84.8 ฿2,829

23.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 ฿2,864

$71.0 ฿2,368

20.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$713 ฿23.8K

$423 ฿14.1K

68.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 ฿6,287

$242 ฿8,088

-22.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 ฿28.0K

$797 ฿26.6K

5.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$507 ฿16.9K

-11.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $713 in Nonthaburi 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 $21.00 in Nonthaburi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 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

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

Nonthaburi costs about 4% 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 $1,328 per month in Nonthaburi 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 $419 per month in Nonthaburi 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 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 $852, than in Nonthaburi at $885. 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 $852 versus $885 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.