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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $565 per month in Osh vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $952 per month in Osh vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,338 per month in Osh vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Osh is about 34% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Osh and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Osh 58% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.38 KGS 296

$1.96 ฿64.0

72.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.78 KGS 1,294

$18.81 ฿615

-21.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 KGS 490

$7.92 ฿259

-29.29%

Cappuccino

$1.40 KGS 123

$1.91 ฿62.6

-26.70%

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

$0.70 KGS 61.0

$0.84 ฿27.41

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 KGS 18.32

$0.35 ฿11.51

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 107

$2.21 ฿72.1

-44.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 KGS 102

$3.80 ฿124

-69.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KGS 77.6

$1.64 ฿53.5

-45.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 KGS 35.90

$1.62 ฿53.1

-74.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 KGS 77.7

$1.18 ฿38.62

-24.58%

Eggs

$1.55 KGS 136

$2.01 ฿65.8

-22.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.83 KGS 511

$15.89 ฿520

-63.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 KGS 411

$3.01 ฿98.5

55.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 KGS 641

$10.77 ฿352

-32.03%

Apples (1kg)

$0.22 KGS 19.20

$2.61 ฿85.5

-91.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 KGS 76.8

$1.22 ฿39.88

-27.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 KGS 245

$1.70 ฿55.7

64.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KGS 97.2

$1.58 ฿51.5

-29.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 KGS 32.17

$1.32 ฿43.14

-71.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 KGS 31.13

$1.17 ฿38.23

-69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 KGS 19.22

$0.67 ฿21.98

-67.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 KGS 51.6

$0.56 ฿18.32

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.70 KGS 61.6

$4.53 ฿148

-84.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.00 KGS 438

$18.20 ฿595

-72.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 KGS 98.8

$1.83 ฿60.0

-38.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 KGS 132

$3.23 ฿106

-53.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 KGS 13.86

$0.89 ฿29.00

-82.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 KGS 2,019

$19.38 ฿634

19.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.19 KGS 16.51

$1.35 ฿44.05

-85.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 KGS 128

$8.25 ฿270

-82.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 KGS 72.8

$1.27 ฿41.64

-34.65%

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

$22.7K KGS 2.0M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

7.49%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

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

$37.72 KGS 3,301

$70.2 ฿2,294

-46.23%

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

$4.08 KGS 357

$13.77 ฿450

-70.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.41 KGS 649

$17.60 ฿575

-57.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.80 KGS 2,258

$41.57 ฿1,360

-37.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.51 KGS 3,021

$6.60 ฿216

422.88%

Cinema Ticket

$2.31 KGS 202

$5.78 ฿189

-60.03%

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

$91.3 KGS 7,987

$306 ฿10.0K

-70.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,851 KGS 162.0K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-87.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.33 KGS 1,516

$54.4 ฿1,778

-68.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.97 KGS 2,010

$26.14 ฿855

-12.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.0 KGS 4,987

$84.5 ฿2,764

-32.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.45 KGS 4,065

$69.4 ฿2,270

-33.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 KGS 32.3K

$424 ฿13.9K

-12.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KGS 16.0K

$238 ฿7,788

-23.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 KGS 64.6K

$825 ฿27.0K

-10.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KGS 40.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

-10.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,245 KGS 109.0K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-39.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,027 KGS 89.9K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-32.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$304 KGS 26.6K

$635 ฿20.8K

-52.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Osh: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $369 in Osh versus $424 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.

Salaries run about 109% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Osh versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $137 vs $243 – making Osh 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 51% more than Osh, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $848 per month in Osh and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $91.3 per month in Osh and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $565 in Osh and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Osh costs $565 versus $852 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 Osh. 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.