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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,043 per month in Ranong vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Ranong vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,342 per month in Ranong vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ranong costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ranong and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ranong 24% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.71 ฿155

$2.08 ฿68.5

126.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.56 ฿1,136

$19.64 ฿646

75.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 ฿289

$5.65 ฿186

55.58%

Cappuccino

$2.91 ฿95.6

$1.81 ฿59.3

60.77%

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

$0.83 ฿27.36

$0.71 ฿23.44

16.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ฿14.62

$0.32 ฿10.38

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ฿78.0

$2.24 ฿73.5

5.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.63 ฿119

2.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ฿63.0

$1.96 ฿64.4

-2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ฿48.62

$1.50 ฿49.38

-1.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.34 ฿43.92

20.90%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿71.3

$2.26 ฿74.4

-3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿658

$16.26 ฿534

23.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ฿117

$2.95 ฿97.1

20.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 ฿377

$9.94 ฿327

15.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 ฿101

$2.57 ฿84.5

19.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ฿54.9

$1.06 ฿34.72

57.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ฿77.1

$1.61 ฿53.0

45.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 ฿73.1

$1.52 ฿49.96

46.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.27 ฿41.76

22.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.83

$1.07 ฿35.05

27.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ฿37.62

$0.72 ฿23.67

58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.98

$0.51 ฿16.72

7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 ฿143

$4.19 ฿138

3.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.11 ฿628

$17.87 ฿587

6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 ฿61.6

$1.69 ฿55.7

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿97.7

$2.84 ฿93.2

4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿31.08

$0.93 ฿30.42

2.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ฿39.11

$1.23 ฿40.58

-3.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.53

$0.58 ฿18.96

86.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 ฿128

$2.42 ฿79.7

61.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.10

$1.41 ฿46.42

3.55%

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

$27.2K ฿893.7K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

26.79%

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

$27.2K ฿892.9K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-0.62%

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

$105 ฿3,443

$63.7 ฿2,093

64.52%

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

$11.14 ฿366

$12.85 ฿423

-13.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿571

$20.22 ฿665

-14.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.09 ฿1,614

$38.74 ฿1,274

26.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.22 ฿467

$3.97 ฿130

258.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 ฿262

$6.74 ฿221

18.55%

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

$575 ฿18.9K

$778 ฿25.6K

-26.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-20.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 ฿2,087

$54.3 ฿1,785

16.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.80 ฿979

$25.45 ฿836

17.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ฿3,291

$94.3 ฿3,101

6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.7 ฿2,982

$73.4 ฿2,414

23.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 ฿15.6K

$490 ฿16.1K

-2.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 ฿9,598

$289 ฿9,510

0.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 ฿40.5K

$894 ฿29.4K

38.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 ฿23.4K

$517 ฿17.0K

37.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 ฿65.4K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

1.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,647 ฿54.1K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

11.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Ranong: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Ranong versus $490 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 $35.00 in Ranong versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Ranong costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,565 per month in Ranong and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $35.00 in Ranong and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Ranong, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Ranong at $1,043. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ranong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,043 in Ranong. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ranong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.