Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Qingdao, Shandong and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Qingdao, Shandong: $777 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Qingdao, Shandong
Learn more

Qingdao, Shandong Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Qingdao, Shandong

🇨🇳 China

$777

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Qingdao, Shandong and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Qingdao, Shandong and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $777 per month in Qingdao, Shandong vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qingdao, Shandong $777
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,234 per month in Qingdao, Shandong vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qingdao, Shandong $1,234
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $1,691 per month in Qingdao, Shandong vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qingdao, Shandong $1,691
Chiang Mai $1,914

Qingdao, Shandong is about 17% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Qingdao, Shandong and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Qingdao, Shandong 42% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 ¥19.76

$2.26 ฿75.4

30.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.99 ¥120

$19.18 ฿641

-6.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ¥30.34

$5.59 ฿187

-18.78%

Cappuccino

$2.68 ¥17.88

$1.72 ฿57.6

55.81%

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

$0.51 ¥3.39

$0.64 ฿21.54

-20.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ¥2.16

$0.33 ฿11.18

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.35

$2.36 ฿78.7

-53.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ¥17.88

$3.90 ฿130

-31.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.24

$2.05 ฿68.6

-3.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ¥9.46

$1.40 ฿46.70

1.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.64

$1.28 ฿42.89

-22.66%

Eggs

$1.30 ¥8.70

$2.25 ฿75.3

-42.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.10 ¥108

$16.94 ฿566

-4.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 ¥28.65

$2.74 ฿91.6

56.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 ¥64.5

$9.36 ฿313

3.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 ¥9.65

$2.40 ฿80.3

-40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.70

$1.01 ฿33.92

13.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ¥11.40

$1.61 ฿53.9

6.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 ¥8.79

$1.52 ฿50.7

-13.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$1.28 ฿42.90

-46.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.42

$1.11 ฿37.22

-13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ¥6.72

$0.72 ฿24.09

40.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.39

$0.52 ฿17.54

26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 ¥25.12

$4.33 ฿145

-13.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 ¥95.9

$17.73 ฿593

-19.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ¥6.87

$1.63 ฿54.4

-36.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.35

$2.85 ฿95.3

-45.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.07

$0.85 ฿28.31

-63.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.80 ¥119

$53.9 ฿1,801

-66.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.80

$1.17 ฿39.18

25.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ¥2.99

$0.57 ฿19.00

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 ¥60.9

$2.37 ฿79.2

284.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.44

$1.45 ฿48.32

-13.10%

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

$19.4K ¥129.6K

$20.5K ฿684.3K

-5.18%

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

$16.7K ¥111.4K

$26.5K ฿886.1K

-37.07%

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

$69.0 ¥461

$62.3 ฿2,083

10.70%

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

$6.80 ¥45.41

$12.27 ฿410

-44.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.94 ¥53.0

$19.97 ฿668

-60.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.31 ¥142

$37.91 ฿1,267

-43.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.06 ¥121

$3.76 ฿126

380.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 ¥42.78

$6.71 ฿224

-4.47%

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

$360 ¥2,402

$797 ฿26.6K

-54.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥118.3K

$14.8K ฿495.7K

19.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 ¥343

$53.3 ฿1,780

-3.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.43 ¥330

$25.05 ฿837

97.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 ¥631

$91.6 ฿3,062

3.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥604

$73.5 ฿2,455

23.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 ¥2,330

$464 ฿15.5K

-24.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 ¥1,345

$305 ฿10.2K

-33.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ¥5,037

$915 ฿30.6K

-17.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 ¥2,832

$552 ฿18.5K

-23.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,580 ¥23.9K

$1,912 ฿63.9K

87.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,120 ¥14.2K

$1,438 ฿48.1K

47.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,231 ¥8,220

$595 ฿19.9K

106.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.37

5.57

-39.50%

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

Last update for Qingdao, Shandong: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Qingdao, Shandong

$222 28.6%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 7% $16

Accommodation & Living

Qingdao, Shandong

$201 25.9%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 51.2% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Qingdao, Shandong

$129 16.6%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 14.9% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Qingdao, Shandong

$84 10.8%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 12.9% $11

Eating Out

Qingdao, Shandong

$84 10.8%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 5.5% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

Qingdao, Shandong

$34 4.4%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 50.4% $17

Getting Around

Qingdao, Shandong

$23 2.9%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 170% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $349 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $464 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 107% higher in Qingdao, Shandong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $238 – making Qingdao, Shandong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Qingdao, Shandong

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

15:29 3:29 PM

14:29 2:29 PM

1 h behind Qingdao, Shandong

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,071,722

127,240

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.51 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Qingdao, Shandong Chiang Mai 2,840 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Qingdao, Shandong
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Qingdao, Shandong vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Qingdao, Shandong, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,165 per month in Qingdao, Shandong and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $360 per month in Qingdao, Shandong and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Qingdao, Shandong, where all-in costs run around $777, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Qingdao, Shandong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Qingdao, Shandong costs $777 versus $938 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 Qingdao, Shandong. 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.