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 $2,673 per month in Northam vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,763 per month in Northam vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,853 per month in Northam vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Northam costs about 181% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Northam sits 94% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.47 A$29.72

$2.10 ฿69.0

922.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 A$121

$19.84 ฿653

340.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.70

$5.79 ฿190

83.42%

Cappuccino

$4.61 A$6.38

$1.83 ฿60.1

151.91%

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

$2.97 A$4.11

$0.78 ฿25.49

280.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 A$3.23

$0.31 ฿10.32

651.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.59 A$11.89

$2.34 ฿76.8

267.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 A$12.07

$3.70 ฿122

135.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 A$2.42

$2.03 ฿66.8

-13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 A$3.66

$1.60 ฿52.5

65.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 A$2.83

$1.42 ฿46.53

43.66%

Eggs

$4.79 A$6.63

$2.18 ฿71.6

119.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 A$8.76

$15.91 ฿523

-60.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.62 A$13.32

$3.07 ฿101

213.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.21 A$19.68

$9.87 ฿324

43.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.05

$2.63 ฿86.4

11.03%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.55

$1.10 ฿36.02

198.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.49 A$4.83

$1.63 ฿53.6

114.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 A$7.52

$1.53 ฿50.3

255.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.11

$1.24 ฿40.93

139.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 A$2.80

$1.13 ฿37.19

78.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 A$3.33

$0.74 ฿24.26

225.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 A$1.03

$0.50 ฿16.40

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$43.33 A$60.0

$4.28 ฿141

912.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.50 A$4.85

$17.97 ฿591

-80.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.52 A$6.25

$1.70 ฿55.8

165.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 A$4.83

$2.90 ฿95.2

20.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.16 A$4.38

$0.94 ฿30.97

236.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 A$117

$55.3 ฿1,818

53.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 A$5.27

$1.23 ฿40.56

209.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 A$1.99

$0.53 ฿17.57

171.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.01 A$56.8

$2.40 ฿78.9

1608.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.44 ฿47.32

-6.25%

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

$28.6K A$39.6K

$21.2K ฿696.8K

35.03%

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

$30.8K A$42.6K

$27.3K ฿897.8K

12.80%

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

$207 A$287

$64.9 ฿2,135

218.88%

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

$25.47 A$35.26

$13.35 ฿439

90.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 A$87.9

$20.83 ฿685

204.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.2 A$80.6

$40.42 ฿1,329

44.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 A$25.45

$3.95 ฿130

365.32%

Cinema Ticket

$16.97 A$23.49

$6.71 ฿221

152.91%

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

$2,367 A$3,277

$787 ฿25.9K

200.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K A$33.0K

$15.1K ฿497.2K

57.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 A$106

$56.2 ฿1,849

36.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 A$96.9

$24.95 ฿820

180.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$168

$92.7 ฿3,048

30.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 A$220

$75.1 ฿2,470

111.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 A$2,034

$484 ฿15.9K

203.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 A$1,770

$287 ฿9,446

345.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 A$3,162

$910 ฿29.9K

151.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 A$2,576

$531 ฿17.4K

250.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,713 A$9,295

$1,980 ฿65.1K

239.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,276 A$7,305

$1,451 ฿47.7K

263.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.57

6.28%

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

Last update for Northam: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,469 in Northam 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 $87.0 in Northam versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 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 181% 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 $4,010 per month in Northam and $1,426 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 $2,367 per month in Northam and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $950, than in Northam at $2,673. 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 $950 versus $2,673 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.