Cost of Living Comparison Between Phu Quoc and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Phu Quoc and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $736 per month in Phu Quoc vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,179 per month in Phu Quoc vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,622 per month in Phu Quoc vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Phu Quoc is about 14% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phu Quoc and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Phu Quoc 45% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 ₫50.0K

$2.04 ฿68.2

-6.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.31 ₫560.2K

$18.71 ฿624

13.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ₫121.4K

$7.86 ฿262

-41.22%

Cappuccino

$1.77 ₫46.6K

$2.03 ฿67.7

-12.81%

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

$0.50 ₫13.2K

$0.80 ฿26.64

-37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₫7,972

$0.35 ฿11.68

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$2.14 ฿71.5

-56.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₫41.6K

$3.67 ฿122

-56.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ₫37.6K

$1.73 ฿57.6

-17.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ₫24.5K

$1.57 ฿52.4

-40.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₫25.9K

$1.20 ฿39.99

-17.50%

Eggs

$1.45 ₫38.2K

$1.97 ฿65.8

-26.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 ₫307.9K

$16.23 ฿541

-27.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ₫98.4K

$3.06 ฿102

22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 ₫259.2K

$10.80 ฿360

-8.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 ₫73.1K

$2.77 ฿92.3

0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.9K

$1.17 ฿38.94

-9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.7K

$1.71 ฿57.0

-25.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.1K

$1.59 ฿53.2

-32.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.3K

$1.39 ฿46.51

-23.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.5K

$1.16 ฿38.56

-12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₫17.9K

$0.66 ฿22.05

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.6K

$0.52 ฿17.31

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.30 ₫34.3K

$4.65 ฿155

-72.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 ₫300.7K

$17.78 ฿593

-35.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₫19.7K

$1.79 ฿59.6

-58.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₫43.3K

$3.34 ฿111

-50.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,972

$0.91 ฿30.27

-62.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.46 ₫169.7K

$18.64 ฿622

-65.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₫17.8K

$1.41 ฿47.04

-51.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₫16.3K

$1.34 ฿44.70

-53.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 ₫71.9K

$8.11 ฿270

-66.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₫22.4K

$1.23 ฿41.16

-30.89%

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

$34.5K ₫906.8M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

60.90%

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

$31.9K ₫838.0M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

46.05%

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

$76.6 ₫2.0M

$71.3 ฿2,379

7.42%

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

$5.83 ₫153.3K

$14.01 ฿467

-58.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.99 ₫236.3K

$17.93 ฿598

-49.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.52 ₫565.9K

$40.82 ฿1,362

-47.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.84 ₫206.2K

$6.88 ฿230

13.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 ₫82.0K

$5.72 ฿191

-45.45%

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

$269 ₫7.1M

$308 ฿10.3K

-12.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ₫308.8M

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-20.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.92 ₫1.1M

$55.8 ฿1,860

-26.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.86 ₫601.0K

$26.04 ฿869

-12.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 ₫2.3M

$84.8 ฿2,829

2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.9 ₫1.9M

$71.0 ฿2,368

4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₫9.3M

$423 ฿14.1K

-16.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 ₫6.6M

$242 ฿8,088

2.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 ₫18.8M

$797 ฿26.6K

-10.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 ₫13.9M

$507 ฿16.9K

3.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,073 ₫54.5M

$1,918 ฿64.0K

8.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,269 ₫33.4M

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-13.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

82.00%

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

Last update for Phu Quoc: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Phu Quoc versus $423 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 $21.00 in Phu Quoc versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Phu Quoc vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Phu Quoc wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Phu Quoc vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Phu Quoc, 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 $1,104 per month in Phu Quoc and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Phu Quoc and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $736 in Phu Quoc and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phu Quoc costs $736 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 Phu Quoc. 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.