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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,123 per month in Side vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,826 per month in Side vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,529 per month in Side vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Side costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Side and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Side 19% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 ₺460

$2.10 ฿69.3

350.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 ₺3,263

$19.84 ฿656

238.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 ₺490

$5.79 ฿191

74.09%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₺164

$1.83 ฿60.4

84.70%

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

$2.13 ₺103

$0.78 ฿25.61

173.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₺18.56

$0.31 ฿10.37

22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 ₺181

$2.34 ฿77.2

59.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 ₺289

$3.70 ฿122

60.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₺51.0

$2.03 ฿67.1

-48.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.19

$1.60 ฿52.7

-40.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 ₺112

$1.42 ฿46.75

61.97%

Eggs

$2.03 ₺98.7

$2.18 ฿71.9

-6.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 ₺610

$15.91 ฿526

-21.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 ₺277

$3.07 ฿102

85.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.07 ₺1,266

$9.87 ฿326

164.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 ₺68.9

$2.63 ฿86.8

-46.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺112

$1.10 ฿36.19

110.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₺66.1

$1.63 ฿53.8

-16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 ₺66.9

$1.53 ฿50.6

-9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ₺37.56

$1.24 ฿41.13

-37.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₺32.07

$1.13 ฿37.37

-41.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 ₺88.8

$0.74 ฿24.38

147.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₺33.20

$0.50 ฿16.48

36.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 ₺127

$4.28 ฿141

-39.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.28 ₺645

$17.97 ฿594

-26.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₺83.1

$1.70 ฿56.1

0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₺150

$2.90 ฿95.7

6.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺35.19

$0.94 ฿31.13

-23.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.89 ₺1,597

$55.3 ฿1,827

-40.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ₺66.8

$1.23 ฿40.76

12.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ₺48.94

$0.53 ฿17.66

90.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 ₺279

$2.40 ฿79.3

139.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ₺69.0

$1.44 ฿47.55

-1.39%

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

$42.5K ₺2.1M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

100.38%

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

$39.8K ₺1.9M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

45.65%

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

$66.3 ₺3,218

$64.9 ฿2,145

2.06%

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

$10.03 ₺487

$13.35 ฿441

-24.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.50 ₺1,044

$20.83 ฿688

3.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.0 ₺2,428

$40.42 ฿1,336

23.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$8.75 ₺425

$6.71 ฿222

30.40%

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

$611 ₺29.7K

$787 ฿26.0K

-22.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₺515.1K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-29.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.65 ₺2,217

$56.2 ฿1,858

-18.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.8 ₺2,998

$24.95 ฿824

147.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 ₺4,259

$92.7 ฿3,063

-5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₺3,866

$75.1 ฿2,482

5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ₺21.1K

$484 ฿16.0K

-10.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₺15.0K

$287 ฿9,491

7.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 ₺37.2K

$910 ฿30.1K

-15.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₺28.6K

$531 ฿17.5K

10.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,489 ₺72.3K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-24.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,115 ₺54.1K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-23.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

39.17

5.57

603.23%

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

Last update for Side: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Side versus $484 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Side versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Side costs about 18% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,685 per month in Side and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $611 per month in Side and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Side, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Side at $1,123. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Side it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,123 in Side. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Side makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.