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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $865 per month in Qapshaghay vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,292 per month in Qapshaghay vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,718 per month in Qapshaghay vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qapshaghay and Chiang Mai have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.97 ₸3,871

$1.94 ฿63.8

310.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ₸9,671

$18.64 ฿611

6.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ₸2,812

$7.82 ฿256

-25.96%

Cappuccino

$1.57 ₸765

$1.95 ฿64.1

-19.49%

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

$0.89 ₸433

$0.85 ฿27.88

4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₸262

$0.35 ฿11.63

54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ₸456

$2.13 ฿69.9

-55.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₸583

$3.73 ฿122

-67.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₸640

$1.71 ฿56.2

-22.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₸271

$1.63 ฿53.4

-65.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 ₸726

$1.14 ฿37.30

30.70%

Eggs

$1.73 ₸842

$1.93 ฿63.4

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ₸4,536

$16.21 ฿532

-42.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 ₸2,202

$3.12 ฿102

45.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₸3,742

$10.90 ฿357

-29.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 ₸678

$2.75 ฿90.3

-49.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 ₸958

$1.21 ฿39.68

62.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 ₸951

$1.62 ฿53.2

20.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ₸1,001

$1.59 ฿52.0

29.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₸285

$1.40 ฿45.89

-57.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₸194

$1.17 ฿38.32

-65.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₸609

$0.66 ฿21.69

89.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₸356

$0.53 ฿17.29

37.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 ₸720

$4.69 ฿154

-68.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 ₸5,055

$18.66 ฿612

-44.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₸438

$1.80 ฿59.0

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₸1,041

$3.23 ฿106

-33.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 ₸80.9

$0.90 ฿29.37

-81.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₸341

$1.41 ฿46.10

-50.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₸304

$1.29 ฿42.29

-51.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 ₸2,225

$7.84 ฿257

-41.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 ₸249

$1.27 ฿41.75

-59.84%

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

$23.2K ₸11.3M

$21.3K ฿697.7K

9.18%

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

$27.1K ₸13.1M

$22.2K ฿728.3K

21.78%

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

$63.6 ₸30.9K

$69.1 ฿2,265

-7.96%

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

$8.60 ₸4,178

$14.08 ฿462

-38.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.69 ₸6,648

$18.00 ฿590

-23.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.65 ₸15.9K

$41.06 ฿1,346

-20.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 ₸2,594

$5.92 ฿194

-9.80%

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

$261 ₸126.6K

$299 ฿9,805

-12.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,803 ₸2.3M

$15.0K ฿490.3K

-67.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 ₸27.0K

$54.7 ฿1,794

1.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.32 ₸21.5K

$26.77 ฿878

65.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 ₸47.0K

$85.0 ฿2,787

13.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₸59.4K

$70.6 ฿2,315

73.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₸190.3K

$428 ฿14.0K

-8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₸131.7K

$237 ฿7,782

14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 ₸312.1K

$801 ฿26.3K

-19.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 ₸214.0K

$515 ฿16.9K

-14.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$933 ₸453.4K

$1,975 ฿64.7K

-52.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$850 ₸412.8K

$1,475 ฿48.4K

-42.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

267.80%

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

Last update for Qapshaghay: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Qapshaghay 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Qapshaghay versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Qapshaghay vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Qapshaghay 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,298 per month in Qapshaghay 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 Qapshaghay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Qapshaghay and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $865 in Qapshaghay and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Qapshaghay costs $865 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 Qapshaghay. 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.