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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,171 per month in Northam vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,227 per month in Northam vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,283 per month in Northam vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Northam costs about 156% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Northam sits 63% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.29 A$23.33

$2.03 ฿68.4

702.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$113

$18.71 ฿630

321.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 A$15.19

$7.84 ฿264

35.20%

Cappuccino

$3.60 A$5.16

$1.93 ฿64.9

86.53%

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

$2.46 A$3.53

$0.83 ฿28.00

196.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 A$2.86

$0.35 ฿11.80

468.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.64 A$10.94

$2.22 ฿74.8

244.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 A$9.37

$3.79 ฿128

72.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.10

$1.65 ฿55.4

-10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 A$3.47

$1.55 ฿52.3

56.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 A$2.91

$1.18 ฿39.79

72.03%

Eggs

$4.15 A$5.94

$2.01 ฿67.9

106.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.82 A$8.34

$16.16 ฿544

-63.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 A$12.28

$3.03 ฿102

183.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 A$20.07

$10.84 ฿365

29.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.79

$2.68 ฿90.3

-1.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.24

$1.22 ฿41.14

142.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.25

$1.63 ฿54.8

82.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 A$6.91

$1.53 ฿51.5

215.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.63

$1.34 ฿45.10

89.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.48

$1.21 ฿40.86

42.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.86

$0.70 ฿23.63

185.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 A$0.89

$0.53 ฿17.70

16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.64 A$45.31

$4.69 ฿158

574.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.56 A$5.10

$17.71 ฿597

-79.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.82 A$5.46

$1.85 ฿62.2

106.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 A$5.89

$3.21 ฿108

28.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.65

$0.89 ฿30.01

186.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 A$91.8

$18.76 ฿632

241.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 A$5.52

$1.41 ฿47.40

173.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 A$3.09

$1.29 ฿43.52

67.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.49 A$69.4

$7.79 ฿262

522.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.62

$1.29 ฿43.59

-12.40%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

$21.8K ฿733.4K

30.42%

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

$24.6K A$35.3K

$21.7K ฿730.7K

13.55%

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

$159 A$227

$70.0 ฿2,358

126.71%

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

$22.61 A$32.38

$14.19 ฿478

59.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$79.7

$17.42 ฿587

219.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 A$71.1

$41.64 ฿1,403

19.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 A$22.25

$6.89 ฿232

125.54%

Cinema Ticket

$16.44 A$23.55

$5.78 ฿195

184.43%

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

$1,779 A$2,548

$300 ฿10.1K

493.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$17.4K

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-16.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 A$102

$55.4 ฿1,865

29.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.76 A$69.8

$26.31 ฿886

85.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$149

$84.8 ฿2,858

22.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 A$153

$70.5 ฿2,375

51.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 A$1,823

$425 ฿14.3K

199.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 A$1,526

$235 ฿7,919

353.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,982 A$2,838

$802 ฿27.0K

147.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 A$2,410

$516 ฿17.4K

226.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,821 A$9,767

$1,926 ฿64.9K

254.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,410 A$7,747

$1,451 ฿48.9K

272.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

28.40%

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

Last update for Northam: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,273 in Northam versus $425 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 $79.0 in Northam versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 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

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

Northam costs about 156% 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 $3,257 per month in Northam and $1,271 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 $1,779 per month in Northam and $300 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Northam, 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 $847, than in Northam at $2,171. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Northam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $2,171 in Northam. 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, Northam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.