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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,281 per month in Perth vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,392 per month in Perth vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,504 per month in Perth vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Perth costs about 170% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Perth sits 70% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.44 A$23.01

$1.95 ฿62.6

743.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 A$111

$18.43 ฿591

331.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 A$14.71

$7.50 ฿241

40.13%

Cappuccino

$3.65 A$5.11

$1.93 ฿62.0

89.12%

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

$2.59 A$3.62

$0.78 ฿24.98

232.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.77

$0.32 ฿10.38

518.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 A$11.08

$2.15 ฿68.9

267.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 A$8.87

$3.71 ฿119

70.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.05

$1.71 ฿55.0

-14.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.27

$1.56 ฿50.1

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$1.18 ฿37.91

70.34%

Eggs

$4.48 A$6.27

$1.98 ฿63.6

126.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 A$11.64

$16.04 ฿515

-48.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 A$11.71

$3.17 ฿102

163.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.87 A$19.41

$10.94 ฿351

26.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.79

$2.63 ฿84.3

30.04%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 A$4.22

$1.17 ฿37.45

157.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 A$4.11

$1.65 ฿52.8

77.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 A$6.55

$1.54 ฿49.31

203.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.51

$1.38 ฿44.16

81.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 A$2.52

$1.17 ฿37.39

53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 A$2.79

$0.66 ฿21.16

201.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.05

$0.51 ฿16.48

186.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.67 A$44.34

$4.52 ฿145

600.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 A$14.96

$18.32 ฿588

-41.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.82 A$5.34

$1.80 ฿57.7

112.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 A$5.87

$3.18 ฿102

31.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 A$4.26

$0.90 ฿28.85

237.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 A$101

$19.00 ฿610

279.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 A$5.61

$1.41 ฿45.32

184.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 A$3.13

$1.31 ฿41.98

70.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.44 A$69.2

$8.09 ฿260

511.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.63

$1.28 ฿40.92

-9.38%

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

$29.3K A$41.0K

$21.3K ฿683.3K

37.38%

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

$23.9K A$33.5K

$21.7K ฿696.5K

10.31%

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

$157 A$220

$69.2 ฿2,221

127.49%

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

$27.62 A$38.67

$13.97 ฿448

97.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 A$77.8

$17.95 ฿576

209.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.18 A$57.7

$42.31 ฿1,358

-2.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 A$22.20

$6.66 ฿214

138.14%

Cinema Ticket

$16.40 A$22.96

$5.92 ฿190

177.03%

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

$1,792 A$2,509

$299 ฿9,601

498.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.7K

$14.8K ฿476.5K

-19.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$98.4

$56.2 ฿1,803

25.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.26 A$67.6

$26.94 ฿864

79.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$141

$84.9 ฿2,724

18.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 A$150

$71.8 ฿2,305

49.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 A$2,104

$435 ฿14.0K

245.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 A$1,612

$240 ฿7,696

380.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,520 A$3,528

$798 ฿25.6K

215.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 A$2,546

$498 ฿16.0K

264.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,479 A$9,070

$1,995 ฿64.0K

224.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,911 A$6,875

$1,532 ฿49.2K

220.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,214 A$5,900

$628 ฿20.2K

570.82%

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 Perth: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,503 in Perth versus $435 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 571% higher in Perth, 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 $79 in Perth versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $244 – 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

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

Perth costs about 170% 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 $3,421 per month in Perth and $1,267 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 $1,792 per month in Perth and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Perth, 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 $845, than in Perth at $2,281. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $2,281 in Perth. 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, Perth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.