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 $845 per month in Nonthaburi vs $942 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,326 per month in Nonthaburi vs $1,427 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,807 per month in Nonthaburi vs $1,912 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nonthaburi is about 10% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nonthaburi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Nonthaburi 37% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.22 ฿107

$2.08 ฿69.4

54.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 ฿802

$19.91 ฿664

20.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 ฿242

$5.58 ฿186

29.75%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ฿83.0

$1.74 ฿58.0

43.10%

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

$0.64 ฿21.41

$0.72 ฿24.01

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.32 ฿10.67

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿71.7

$2.25 ฿75.1

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.81 ฿127

-27.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ฿49.38

$2.02 ฿67.4

-26.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ฿45.32

$1.57 ฿52.4

-13.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.52

$1.40 ฿46.58

-7.14%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿76.0

$2.15 ฿71.8

6.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.14 ฿572

$15.63 ฿522

9.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.49 ฿83.3

$2.95 ฿98.3

-15.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.30 ฿344

$9.49 ฿317

8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ฿118

$2.60 ฿86.9

35.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 ฿31.41

$1.08 ฿36.08

-12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 ฿81.0

$1.59 ฿53.1

52.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.45 ฿48.47

9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.5

$1.28 ฿42.60

34.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.11 ฿37.07

39.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ฿38.95

$0.73 ฿24.23

60.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.87

$0.50 ฿16.67

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿148

$4.27 ฿143

3.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.55 ฿486

$17.67 ฿590

-17.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.0

$1.68 ฿56.1

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ฿83.6

$2.80 ฿93.5

-10.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.95

$0.87 ฿28.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,808

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ฿34.56

$1.21 ฿40.47

-14.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿39.56

$0.54 ฿17.98

120.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 ฿120

$2.39 ฿79.6

50.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.91

$1.46 ฿48.84

-1.37%

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

$16.6K ฿554.9K

$21.0K ฿701.2K

-20.87%

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

$26.5K ฿885.6K

$26.7K ฿890.8K

-0.58%

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

$106 ฿3,534

$62.1 ฿2,071

70.65%

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

$14.70 ฿490

$12.93 ฿431

13.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.67 ฿723

$20.61 ฿688

5.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,783

$39.21 ฿1,308

36.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.21 ฿474

$3.77 ฿126

276.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿225

$6.52 ฿217

3.37%

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

$547 ฿18.3K

$803 ฿26.8K

-31.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ฿563.1K

$14.7K ฿490.4K

14.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$5.85 ฿195

$55.9 ฿1,864

-89.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 ฿1,207

$25.51 ฿851

41.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 ฿2,443

$91.1 ฿3,039

-19.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.6 ฿1,989

$73.3 ฿2,446

-18.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ฿23.1K

$484 ฿16.1K

43.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ฿6,734

$288 ฿9,617

-29.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 ฿46.0K

$885 ฿29.5K

55.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿14.2K

$523 ฿17.5K

-18.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,997 ฿66.6K

$1,989 ฿66.4K

0.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,608 ฿53.7K

$1,440 ฿48.1K

11.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

5.57

-3.41%

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

Last update for Nonthaburi: September 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Nonthaburi versus $484 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 $24.00 in Nonthaburi versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $238 – 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

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Nonthaburi, 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 $1,267 per month in Nonthaburi and $1,414 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nonthaburi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Nonthaburi and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nonthaburi, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Chiang Mai at $942. In Nonthaburi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nonthaburi costs $845 versus $942 in Chiang Mai. 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 Nonthaburi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.