Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shijiazhuang and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Shijiazhuang: $682 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

33

Cost of Living Index in Shijiazhuang
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Shijiazhuang Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Shijiazhuang

🇨🇳 China

$682

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shijiazhuang and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shijiazhuang and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $682 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shijiazhuang $682
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $1,021 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shijiazhuang $1,021
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $1,359 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shijiazhuang $1,359
Chiang Mai $1,903

Shijiazhuang is about 26% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Shijiazhuang and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Shijiazhuang 50% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.76 ¥11.80

$2.29 ฿76.5

-23.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ¥125

$19.64 ฿656

-5.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 ¥37.97

$5.61 ฿188

1.25%

Cappuccino

$3.27 ¥21.89

$1.66 ฿55.6

96.99%

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

$0.48 ¥3.19

$0.70 ฿23.40

-31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.31 ฿10.24

-12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 ¥5.23

$2.41 ฿80.4

-67.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥11.42

$3.71 ฿124

-53.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.44

$1.95 ฿65.3

-35.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ¥7.78

$1.41 ฿47.03

-17.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.53

$1.31 ฿43.62

-48.09%

Eggs

$1.29 ¥8.61

$2.18 ฿72.9

-40.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.50 ¥110

$16.65 ฿556

-0.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.63 ¥17.58

$2.76 ฿92.2

-4.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 ¥64.7

$9.11 ฿304

6.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.10

$2.39 ฿80.0

-30.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.24

$1.03 ฿34.26

19.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$1.63 ฿54.4

-52.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ¥7.95

$1.50 ฿50.0

-20.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ¥4.21

$1.29 ฿43.13

-51.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$1.11 ฿37.03

-44.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.72 ฿24.08

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.53 ฿17.59

-18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.39

$4.31 ฿144

-11.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.83 ¥25.58

$17.95 ฿600

-78.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$1.58 ฿52.9

-55.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$2.84 ฿95.0

-72.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$0.86 ฿28.86

-63.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.67 ¥118

$53.3 ฿1,780

-66.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ¥8.20

$1.21 ฿40.29

1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.50

$0.57 ฿18.99

-35.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ¥23.81

$2.35 ฿78.6

51.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.30

$1.44 ฿47.96

-13.89%

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

$19.7K ¥131.4K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

-5.18%

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

$17.3K ¥116.0K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

-35.28%

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

$95.2 ¥637

$62.3 ฿2,083

52.78%

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

$4.40 ¥29.42

$12.11 ฿405

-63.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.60 ¥44.16

$19.94 ฿666

-66.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.69 ¥91.5

$37.07 ฿1,239

-63.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.08 ¥101

$3.78 ฿126

298.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 ¥37.19

$6.50 ฿217

-14.46%

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

$369 ¥2,467

$793 ฿26.5K

-53.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,270 ¥35.2K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

-64.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ¥339

$53.7 ฿1,796

-5.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.12 ¥175

$24.62 ฿823

6.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 ¥499

$90.9 ฿3,036

-17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.8 ¥353

$71.1 ฿2,378

-25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 ¥2,006

$455 ฿15.2K

-34.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ¥1,231

$298 ฿9,954

-38.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 ¥2,802

$908 ฿30.4K

-53.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ¥1,864

$554 ฿18.5K

-49.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,534 ¥16.9K

$1,931 ฿64.5K

31.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 ¥11.4K

$1,445 ฿48.3K

18.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$808 ¥5,400

$591 ฿19.7K

36.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

5.57

-40.57%

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

Last update for Shijiazhuang: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shijiazhuang

$184 27%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 61.8% $114

Groceries & Markets

Shijiazhuang

$172 25.3%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 36.7% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shijiazhuang

$106 15.6%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 11.2% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Shijiazhuang

$92 13.5%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 17.7% $16

Eating Out

Shijiazhuang

$81 11.8%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 2.7% $2.2

Sport & Entertainment

Shijiazhuang

$25 3.6%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 102% $25

Getting Around

Shijiazhuang

$22 3.2%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 176% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $300 in Shijiazhuang versus $455 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 37% higher in Shijiazhuang, 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 $19.00 in Shijiazhuang versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $235 – making Shijiazhuang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shijiazhuang

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

18:53 6:53 PM

17:53 5:53 PM

1 h behind Shijiazhuang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,235,086

127,240

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Shijiazhuang Chiang Mai 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Shijiazhuang
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Shijiazhuang, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,023 per month in Shijiazhuang and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $369 per month in Shijiazhuang and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 Shijiazhuang, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Shijiazhuang 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. Shijiazhuang costs $682 versus $925 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 Shijiazhuang. 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.