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 $559 per month in Osh vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $935 per month in Osh vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,311 per month in Osh vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Osh is about 36% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 KGS 303

$1.98 ฿64.3

75.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.84 KGS 1,297

$18.80 ฿612

-21.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 KGS 496

$7.75 ฿252

-26.84%

Cappuccino

$1.40 KGS 122

$1.92 ฿62.5

-27.08%

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

$0.68 KGS 59.4

$0.79 ฿25.79

-13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 KGS 20.13

$0.36 ฿11.62

-36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 103

$2.21 ฿72.1

-47.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 KGS 103

$3.66 ฿119

-67.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KGS 77.6

$1.65 ฿53.8

-46.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 KGS 33.86

$1.63 ฿53.2

-76.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 KGS 76.6

$1.19 ฿38.86

-26.05%

Eggs

$1.54 KGS 135

$2.00 ฿65.1

-23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.63 KGS 492

$15.98 ฿520

-64.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 KGS 404

$3.03 ฿98.5

52.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 KGS 658

$10.86 ฿354

-30.66%

Apples (1kg)

$0.22 KGS 19.19

$2.76 ฿90.0

-92.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KGS 81.3

$1.18 ฿38.42

-21.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 KGS 249

$1.64 ฿53.5

73.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 KGS 102

$1.52 ฿49.51

-23.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 KGS 34.45

$1.38 ฿45.10

-71.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 KGS 28.46

$1.19 ฿38.84

-72.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 KGS 21.06

$0.70 ฿22.86

-65.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 KGS 48.73

$0.56 ฿18.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.71 KGS 62.4

$4.58 ฿149

-84.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 KGS 445

$16.56 ฿539

-69.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 KGS 101

$1.83 ฿59.5

-36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 KGS 126

$3.20 ฿104

-54.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 KGS 12.76

$0.88 ฿28.56

-82.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.92 KGS 2,004

$18.72 ฿610

22.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 KGS 14.79

$1.34 ฿43.65

-87.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 KGS 122

$7.84 ฿256

-82.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 KGS 72.0

$1.23 ฿39.92

-33.33%

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

$22.8K KGS 2.0M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

5.40%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

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

$36.85 KGS 3,222

$70.5 ฿2,298

-47.76%

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

$4.20 KGS 367

$13.68 ฿445

-69.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.37 KGS 644

$17.45 ฿568

-57.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.38 KGS 2,218

$41.33 ฿1,346

-38.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.37 KGS 3,004

$6.96 ฿227

393.82%

Cinema Ticket

$2.31 KGS 202

$5.77 ฿188

-59.97%

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

$91.7 KGS 8,020

$307 ฿10.0K

-70.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,924 KGS 168.2K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-86.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.36 KGS 1,518

$55.8 ฿1,817

-68.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.51 KGS 1,968

$26.21 ฿854

-14.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.8 KGS 4,961

$85.8 ฿2,793

-33.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.12 KGS 4,032

$72.2 ฿2,353

-36.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 KGS 32.8K

$430 ฿14.0K

-12.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 KGS 15.9K

$239 ฿7,774

-23.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 KGS 65.6K

$817 ฿26.6K

-8.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 KGS 39.3K

$511 ฿16.6K

-11.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,222 KGS 106.9K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-38.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,031 KGS 90.1K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-30.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$308 KGS 27.0K

$619 ฿20.2K

-50.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Osh: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $376 in Osh versus $430 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 101% 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 $241 – 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 55% 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 $838 per month in Osh and $1,303 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 $91.7 per month in Osh and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 76% 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 $559 in Osh and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Osh costs $559 versus $869 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.