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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $565 per month in Seria vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $898 per month in Seria vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,230 per month in Seria vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Seria is about 34% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Seria and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Seria 58% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 BND 4.06

$1.96 ฿65.7

60.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.15 BND 35.05

$18.35 ฿616

47.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 BND 6.95

$7.48 ฿251

-28.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 BND 2.04

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 BND 2.98

Cappuccino

$3.83 BND 4.95

$2.02 ฿67.7

89.60%

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

$0.92 BND 1.19

$0.85 ฿28.45

8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 BND 0.80

$0.36 ฿11.94

72.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 BND 2.38

$1.65 ฿55.4

11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 BND 1.91

$1.57 ฿52.6

-5.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 BND 1.68

$1.19 ฿39.95

9.24%

Eggs

$1.43 BND 1.85

$1.94 ฿65.0

-26.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 BND 7.82

$16.19 ฿544

-62.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 BND 5.67

$2.99 ฿100

46.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 BND 14.66

$10.94 ฿367

3.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 BND 4.05

$2.71 ฿91.0

15.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 BND 3.42

$1.17 ฿39.18

126.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 BND 4.06

$1.69 ฿56.6

86.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 BND 3.58

$1.60 ฿53.9

73.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 BND 2.10

$1.38 ฿46.45

18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 BND 2.89

$1.20 ฿40.38

86.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.40 BND 4.39

$0.67 ฿22.46

407.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BND 0.99

$0.56 ฿18.70

35.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 BND 4.21

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 BND 1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.43 BND 19.92

$4.64 ฿156

232.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 BND 6.17

$1.36 ฿45.82

251.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.57 BND 14.94

$8.21 ฿276

40.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.30 BND 0.39

$1.22 ฿41.11

-75.41%

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

$39.5K BND 51.1K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

85.19%

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

$36.5K BND 47.1K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

61.83%

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

$59.5 BND 76.8

$70.7 ฿2,372

-15.81%

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

$15.34 BND 19.81

$14.04 ฿471

9.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 BND 85.6

$17.49 ฿587

279.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.44 BND 35.42

$42.15 ฿1,415

-34.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.51 BND 7.12

$5.92 ฿199

-6.93%

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

$159 BND 205

$309 ฿10.4K

-48.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,566 BND 12.4K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-35.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.67 BND 39.60

$55.8 ฿1,872

-45.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.89 BND 34.71

$26.11 ฿877

2.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.2 BND 64.8

$83.0 ฿2,787

-39.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.00 BND 59.4

$70.5 ฿2,365

-34.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 BND 880

$579 ฿19.4K

17.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

-18.80%

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

Last update for Seria: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 18% higher in Seria, 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 $27.00 in Seria versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Seria vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Seria 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Seria, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $848 per month in Seria and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Seria and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $565 in Seria and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Seria costs $565 versus $861 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 Seria. 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.