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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $705 per month in Shantou vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,103 per month in Shantou vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,500 per month in Shantou vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shantou is about 18% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shantou and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Shantou 47% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ¥13.71

$1.96 ฿65.8

3.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.87 ¥114

$18.35 ฿617

-8.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ¥33.57

$7.48 ฿252

-33.56%

Cappuccino

$3.24 ¥21.92

$2.02 ฿67.8

60.40%

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

$0.47 ¥3.20

$0.85 ฿28.50

-44.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.05

$0.36 ฿11.96

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 ¥5.42

$2.14 ฿71.8

-62.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ¥18.07

$3.59 ฿121

-25.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ¥11.39

$1.65 ฿55.5

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ¥9.26

$1.57 ฿52.7

-12.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.82

$1.19 ฿40.02

-40.34%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.58

$1.94 ฿65.1

-4.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.66 ¥85.5

$16.19 ฿544

-21.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 ¥25.40

$2.99 ฿101

25.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 ¥82.8

$10.94 ฿368

11.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.72

$2.71 ฿91.2

-30.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$1.17 ฿39.25

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 ¥11.34

$1.69 ฿56.7

-0.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 ¥8.62

$1.60 ฿54.0

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$1.38 ฿46.54

-43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$1.20 ฿40.45

-20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.58

$0.67 ฿22.50

1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.56 ฿18.73

-23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.89

$4.64 ฿156

-26.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.39 ¥83.7

$17.62 ฿593

-29.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.62

$1.86 ฿62.5

-55.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$3.30 ฿111

-44.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.88 ฿29.68

-59.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.01 ¥149

$19.34 ฿650

13.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ¥10.41

$1.36 ฿45.90

13.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$1.34 ฿44.98

-73.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 ¥45.24

$8.21 ฿276

-18.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.22 ฿41.18

-6.56%

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

$21.1K ¥142.7K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

-1.12%

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

$19.5K ¥131.5K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-13.65%

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

$53.3 ¥360

$70.7 ฿2,376

-24.62%

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

$8.53 ¥57.6

$14.04 ฿472

-39.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.89 ¥87.1

$17.49 ฿588

-26.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.05 ¥277

$42.15 ฿1,417

-2.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.13 ¥95.5

$6.88 ฿231

105.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ¥45.85

$5.92 ฿199

14.53%

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

$450 ¥3,038

$309 ฿10.4K

45.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K ¥136.5K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

35.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.29 ¥333

$55.8 ฿1,875

-11.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.86 ¥202

$26.11 ฿878

14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ¥511

$83.0 ฿2,792

-8.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 ¥526

$70.5 ฿2,369

10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 ¥1,894

$432 ฿14.5K

-35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 ¥937

$239 ฿8,035

-41.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 ¥3,829

$822 ฿27.7K

-31.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ¥1,901

$512 ฿17.2K

-45.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,249 ¥15.2K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

17.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,385 ¥29.6K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

198.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 ¥7,009

$579 ฿19.5K

79.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

-19.20%

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

Last update for Shantou: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Shantou versus $432 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 run about 79% higher in Shantou, 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 $17.00 in Shantou versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $243 – making Shantou 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Shantou, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,057 per month in Shantou and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shantou, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $450 per month in Shantou and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $705 in Shantou and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shantou costs $705 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 Shantou. 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.