Cost of Living Comparison Between Prachin Buri and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Prachin Buri and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $860 per month in Prachin Buri vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,418 per month in Prachin Buri vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,976 per month in Prachin Buri vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Prachin Buri is about 1% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Prachin Buri and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Prachin Buri 36% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 ฿120

$1.94 ฿63.5

89.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.18 ฿1,018

$18.64 ฿609

67.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 ฿303

$7.82 ฿255

18.67%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ฿70.0

$1.95 ฿63.8

9.74%

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

$0.84 ฿27.45

$0.85 ฿27.77

-1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.29

$0.35 ฿11.58

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿81.9

$2.13 ฿69.6

17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ฿78.4

$3.73 ฿122

-35.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿47.47

$1.71 ฿56.0

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ฿39.50

$1.63 ฿53.2

-25.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ฿32.81

$1.14 ฿37.15

-12.28%

Eggs

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.93 ฿63.1

-15.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$16.21 ฿530

-32.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 ฿85.1

$3.12 ฿102

-16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.06 ฿361

$10.90 ฿356

1.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.75 ฿90.0

22.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ฿25.54

$1.21 ฿39.52

-35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ฿62.3

$1.62 ฿53.0

17.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 ฿36.29

$1.59 ฿51.8

-30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.97

$1.40 ฿45.70

-12.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿37.95

$1.17 ฿38.17

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.66 ฿21.60

148.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.53 ฿17.22

-33.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 ฿154

$4.69 ฿153

0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 ฿397

$18.66 ฿609

-34.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿57.0

$1.80 ฿58.8

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ฿75.6

$3.23 ฿106

-28.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.36

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.80

$1.41 ฿45.91

-21.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.73

$1.29 ฿42.12

3.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 ฿109

$7.84 ฿256

-57.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ฿35.91

$1.27 ฿41.58

-13.39%

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

$25.9K ฿844.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

21.51%

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

$26.6K ฿869.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

19.86%

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

$79.7 ฿2,604

$69.1 ฿2,256

15.45%

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

$14.10 ฿461

$14.08 ฿460

0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.96 ฿325

$18.00 ฿588

-44.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 ฿1,622

$41.06 ฿1,341

20.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 ฿402

$6.96 ฿227

76.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 ฿245

$5.92 ฿193

26.52%

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

$291 ฿9,516

$299 ฿9,766

-2.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,412 ฿307.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-37.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.64 ฿968

$54.7 ฿1,787

-45.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.92 ฿651

$26.77 ฿874

-25.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,296

$85.0 ฿2,776

18.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.46 ฿1,419

$70.6 ฿2,306

-38.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 ฿13.6K

$428 ฿14.0K

-2.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,389

$237 ฿7,752

21.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 ฿26.7K

$801 ฿26.2K

1.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ฿21.8K

$515 ฿16.8K

29.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,843 ฿60.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-6.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,598 ฿52.2K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

8.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 ฿15.2K

$617 ฿20.2K

-24.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.00%

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

Last update for Prachin Buri: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $417 in Prachin Buri versus $428 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 32% 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 $31.00 in Prachin Buri versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Prachin Buri vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Prachin Buri 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

Prachin Buri vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Prachin Buri, 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 $1,291 per month in Prachin Buri and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Prachin Buri and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $860 in Prachin Buri and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Prachin Buri costs $860 versus $866 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 Prachin Buri. 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.