Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Qom and Chiang Mai
For one person, living is cheaper in Qom: $436 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Qom and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $436 per month in Qom vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Qom $436
Chiang Mai $935
A couple spends around $847 per month in Qom vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Qom $847
Chiang Mai $1,467
A family of three spends $1,257 per month in Qom vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Qom $1,257
Chiang Mai $1,999
🙂
Qom is about 53% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both Qom and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Qom68% lower, Chiang Mai31% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Qom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.05$3.05
$2.13฿72.0
43.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.89$15.89
$18.62฿628
-14.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.91$3.91
$5.60฿189
-30.18%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.52$0.52
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48$1.48
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.01$1.01
$1.66฿56.1
-39.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41$0.41
$0.65฿21.82
-36.92%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73$1.73
$0.30฿10.29
476.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.32฿78.3
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.67฿124
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Qom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.53$0.53
$2.02฿68.0
-73.76%
White Bread(500g)
$0.62$0.62
$1.41฿47.49
-56.03%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70$1.70
$1.39฿46.94
22.30%
Eggs
$1.02$1.02
$2.37฿79.9
-56.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$2.81$2.81
$16.52฿557
-82.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.13$3.13
$2.67฿90.1
17.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.45$7.45
$9.02฿304
-17.41%
Apples(1kg)
$0.79$0.79
$2.40฿80.9
-67.08%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46$1.46
$1.04฿35.12
40.38%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.99$0.99
$1.66฿56.0
-40.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.47$0.47
$1.56฿52.6
-69.87%
Potato(1kg)
$0.47$0.47
$1.24฿41.75
-62.10%
Onion(1kg)
$0.43$0.43
$1.09฿36.65
-60.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.26$0.26
$0.76฿25.70
-65.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.26$0.26
$0.51฿17.34
-49.02%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$0.77$0.77
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.47$0.47
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48$1.48
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.22$1.22
$4.12฿139
-70.39%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$17.93฿605
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.62฿54.8
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.82฿95.2
-
🚌 Getting Around
Qom
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.17$0.17
$0.93฿31.52
-81.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.48$14.48
$52.9฿1,784
-72.62%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.26$0.26
$1.18฿39.69
-77.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.25$0.25
$0.17฿5.78
47.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.02$1.02
$1.81฿61.1
-43.65%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.08$0.08
$1.47฿49.67
-94.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.7K$50.7K
$21.0K฿708.7K
141.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.1K$46.1K
$26.5K฿894.4K
73.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$12.79$12.79
$62.6฿2,110
-79.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.27$1.27
$11.60฿391
-89.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.97$3.97
$20.30฿685
-80.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Qom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$8.60$8.60
$37.88฿1,278
-77.30%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.86$9.86
$3.70฿125
166.49%
Cinema Ticket
$0.98$0.98
$6.51฿220
-84.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Qom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$108$108
$727฿24.5K
-85.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,623$2,623
$16.6K฿559.0K
-84.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Qom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.29$15.29
$53.5฿1,806
-71.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$12.99$12.99
$24.80฿836
-47.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100$100
$90.4฿3,049
11.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.43$49.43
$72.0฿2,428
-31.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Qom
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$237$237
$481฿16.2K
-50.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$160$160
$310฿10.5K
-48.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$578$578
$1,058฿35.7K
-45.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$573$573
$659฿22.2K
-12.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$885$885
$2,418฿81.5K
-63.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$611$611
$1,609฿54.3K
-62.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Qom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$216$216
$595฿20.1K
-63.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
20.33
5.57
264.99%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Qom: October 31, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Qom
$160 36.6%
Chiang Mai
$310 33.1% ↑ 93.8%$150
🛒Groceries & Markets
Qom
$94 21.6%
Chiang Mai
$237 25.3% ↑ 151%$142
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Qom
$80 18.4%
Chiang Mai
$108 11.6% ↑ 35.1%$28
🍽Eating Out
Qom
$57 13%
Chiang Mai
$77 8.2% ↑ 34.6%$20
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qom
$18 4.1%
Chiang Mai
$94 10.1% ↑ 424%$76
🚌Getting Around
Qom
$17 3.8%
Chiang Mai
$59 6.3% ↑ 252%$42
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Qom
$11 2.4%
Chiang Mai
$51 5.4% ↑ 382%$40
🏠Accommodation & Living
Qom
$573 45.6%
Chiang Mai
$659 33% ↑ 14.9%$85
🛒Groceries & Markets
Qom
$231 18.4%
Chiang Mai
$530 26.5% ↑ 130%$299
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Qom
$178 14.2%
Chiang Mai
$241 12% ↑ 35.1%$63
🍽Eating Out
Qom
$191 15.2%
Chiang Mai
$238 11.9% ↑ 24.7%$47
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qom
$19 1.5%
Chiang Mai
$106 5.3% ↑ 450%$87
🚌Getting Around
Qom
$34 2.7%
Chiang Mai
$119 6% ↑ 254%$86
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Qom
$31 2.5%
Chiang Mai
$105 5.3% ↑ 241%$75
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Qom versus $481 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 in Chiang Mai are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Qom versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $94 vs $237 – making Qom the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Qom vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Qom or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 114% more than Qom, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Qom and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $655 per month in Qom and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Qom or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Qom, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $237 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Qom and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $108 per month in Qom and $727 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Qom or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 151% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Qom or in Chiang Mai?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Qom, where all-in costs run around $436, than in Chiang Mai at $935. In Qom it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Qom – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Qom compared to Chiang Mai?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Qom or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Qom. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.