๐A single person spends $1,563 per month in Rudnรก vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,198 per month in Rudnรก vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Rudnรก vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
๐Rudnรก costs about 80% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Rudnรก sits 17% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Rudnรก
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.16Kฤย 170
$1.94เธฟ63.6
320.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.82Kฤย 768
$18.64เธฟ609
97.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.91Kฤย 165
$7.82เธฟ256
1.15%
Cappuccino
$2.86Kฤย 59.6
$1.95เธฟ63.9
46.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91Kฤย 39.88
$0.85เธฟ27.80
124.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32Kฤย 27.58
$0.35เธฟ11.60
277.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39Kฤย 49.83
$2.13เธฟ69.7
12.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78Kฤย 58.0
$3.73เธฟ122
-25.47%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Rudnรก
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.20Kฤย 25.06
$1.71เธฟ56.0
-29.82%
White Bread(500g)
$1.32Kฤย 27.59
$1.63เธฟ53.3
-19.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.48Kฤย 51.6
$1.14เธฟ37.18
117.54%
Eggs
$3.34Kฤย 69.6
$1.93เธฟ63.2
73.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.11Kฤย 211
$16.21เธฟ530
-37.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.75Kฤย 203
$3.12เธฟ102
212.50%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.35Kฤย 278
$10.90เธฟ356
22.48%
Apples(1kg)
$1.97Kฤย 41.10
$2.75เธฟ90.1
-28.36%
Banana(1kg)
$1.79Kฤย 37.35
$1.21เธฟ39.56
47.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.28Kฤย 47.64
$1.62เธฟ53.0
40.74%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.93Kฤย 82.0
$1.59เธฟ51.9
147.17%
Potato(1kg)
$1.36Kฤย 28.36
$1.40เธฟ45.75
-2.86%
Onion(1kg)
$1.39Kฤย 29.03
$1.17เธฟ38.20
18.80%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.58Kฤย 33.01
$0.66เธฟ21.62
139.39%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80Kฤย 16.75
$0.53เธฟ17.24
50.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.44Kฤย 155
$4.69เธฟ153
58.64%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.34Kฤย 153
$18.66เธฟ610
-60.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09Kฤย 22.62
$1.80เธฟ58.8
-39.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24Kฤย 46.70
$3.23เธฟ106
-30.65%
๐ Getting Around
Rudnรก
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.19Kฤย 24.74
$0.90เธฟ29.28
32.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.02Kฤย 542
$19.21เธฟ628
35.45%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39Kฤย 28.88
$1.41เธฟ45.96
-1.42%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.24Kฤย 25.77
$1.29เธฟ42.16
-3.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.81Kฤย 288
$7.84เธฟ256
76.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.75Kฤย 36.56
$1.27เธฟ41.62
37.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7KKฤย 619.2K
$21.3Kเธฟ695.5K
39.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.0KKฤย 646.1K
$22.2Kเธฟ726.1K
39.52%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rudnรก
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$299Kฤย 6,238
$69.1เธฟ2,258
333.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.07Kฤย 564
$14.08เธฟ460
92.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.92Kฤย 457
$18.00เธฟ588
21.78%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Rudnรก
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.7Kฤย 1,119
$41.06เธฟ1,342
30.69%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.53Kฤย 345
$6.96เธฟ227
137.50%
Cinema Ticket
$10.94Kฤย 228
$5.92เธฟ193
84.80%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Rudnรก
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$405Kฤย 8,440
$299เธฟ9,775
35.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.1KKฤย 293.6K
$15.0Kเธฟ488.8K
-5.81%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Rudnรก
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.0Kฤย 1,689
$54.7เธฟ1,788
48.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.56Kฤย 533
$26.77เธฟ875
-4.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.7Kฤย 1,558
$85.0เธฟ2,778
-12.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110Kฤย 2,300
$70.6เธฟ2,308
56.29%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Rudnรก
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$670Kฤย 14.0K
$428เธฟ14.0K
56.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$557Kฤย 11.6K
$237เธฟ7,759
134.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,176Kฤย 24.5K
$801เธฟ26.2K
46.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$867Kฤย 18.1K
$515เธฟ16.9K
68.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,285Kฤย 110.2K
$1,975เธฟ64.5K
167.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,938Kฤย 61.3K
$1,475เธฟ48.2K
99.20%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Rudnรก
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$617เธฟ20.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.84
5
-3.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rudnรก: June 1, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $670 in Rudnรก 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.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Rudnรก versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $246 โ making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Rudnรก vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Rudnรก or Chiang Mai?
Rudnรก costs about 80% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 Rudnรก vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,344 per month in Rudnรก and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Rudnรก or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Rudnรก and Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $405 per month in Rudnรก and $299 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 Rudnรก or Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 7% more in Rudnรก, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Rudnรก or Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Rudnรก at $1,563. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rudnรก it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Rudnรก or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,563 in Rudnรก. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Rudnรก compared to Chiang Mai?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Rudnรก or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rudnรก makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.