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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $356 per month in Rundu vs $906 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $629 per month in Rundu vs $1,385 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $902 per month in Rundu vs $1,864 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rundu is about 61% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rundu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Rundu 73% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.91 NAD 248

$2.13 ฿71.8

600.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.16 NAD 502

$19.40 ฿653

55.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 NAD 99.8

$5.47 ฿184

9.69%

Cappuccino

$2.10 NAD 34.93

$1.68 ฿56.7

25.00%

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

$0.70 NAD 11.60

$0.66 ฿22.22

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 NAD 9.73

$0.34 ฿11.58

70.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 NAD 14.88

$2.42 ฿81.5

-63.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 NAD 19.97

$3.73 ฿126

-67.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.3

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 NAD 13.39

$1.46 ฿49.06

-45.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 NAD 78.1

$1.35 ฿45.34

247.41%

Eggs

$2.98 NAD 49.54

$2.27 ฿76.4

31.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.22 NAD 70.2

$16.31 ฿549

-74.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 NAD 82.1

$2.70 ฿90.8

82.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.81 NAD 80.0

$9.20 ฿310

-47.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 NAD 36.21

$2.39 ฿80.6

-8.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 NAD 35.04

$1.04 ฿34.85

102.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 NAD 20.80

$1.60 ฿54.0

-21.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 NAD 15.88

$1.44 ฿48.64

-34.03%

Potato (1kg)

$5.19 NAD 86.3

$1.30 ฿43.84

299.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 NAD 14.74

$1.11 ฿37.50

-19.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 NAD 9.79

$0.70 ฿23.69

-15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NAD 17.63

$0.51 ฿17.09

107.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.23 NAD 20.47

$4.13 ฿139

-70.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.92 NAD 65.2

$17.78 ฿599

-77.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 NAD 20.89

$1.63 ฿55.0

-22.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 NAD 24.88

$2.87 ฿96.6

-47.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.92

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿41.05

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.5

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

$20.9K ฿702.3K

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

$26.7K ฿900.1K

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

$61.3 ฿2,063

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

$12.50 ฿421

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿686

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,277

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

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

$774 ฿26.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿486.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,845

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿851

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,049

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,467

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,891

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

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 Rundu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Rundu versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $173 in Rundu vs $236 in Chiang Mai – so Rundu 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 154% more than Rundu, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $534 per month in Rundu and $1,359 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $356 in Rundu and $906 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 36% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rundu, where all-in costs run around $356, than in Chiang Mai at $906. In Rundu 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. Rundu costs $356 versus $906 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 Rundu. 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.