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 $1,076 per month in Side vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,642 per month in Side vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,208 per month in Side vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Side costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Side and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Side 20% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 ₺350

$1.95 ฿62.8

299.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ₺1,047

$18.43 ฿594

26.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 ₺278

$7.50 ฿241

-17.60%

Cappuccino

$2.64 ₺119

$1.93 ฿62.3

36.79%

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

$1.74 ₺78.0

$0.78 ฿25.08

123.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.24

$0.32 ฿10.42

46.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 ₺141

$2.15 ฿69.2

46.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ₺184

$3.71 ฿120

10.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 ₺37.96

$1.71 ฿55.2

-50.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₺44.13

$1.56 ฿50.3

-37.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₺39.38

$1.18 ฿38.06

-25.42%

Eggs

$1.77 ₺79.5

$1.98 ฿63.9

-10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 ₺377

$16.04 ฿517

-47.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ₺240

$3.17 ฿102

68.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.31 ₺733

$10.94 ฿353

49.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 ₺45.32

$2.63 ฿84.7

-61.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ₺93.9

$1.17 ฿37.61

78.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 ₺32.71

$1.65 ฿53.0

-55.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 ₺49.76

$1.54 ฿49.51

-27.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 ₺24.97

$1.38 ฿44.34

-59.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 ₺20.33

$1.17 ฿37.54

-61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺56.9

$0.66 ฿21.25

92.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₺15.30

$0.51 ฿16.55

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 ₺92.0

$4.52 ฿146

-54.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.72 ₺392

$18.32 ฿590

-52.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₺76.6

$1.80 ฿57.9

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺95.3

$3.18 ฿102

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ₺28.09

$0.90 ฿28.97

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.68 ₺1,379

$19.00 ฿612

61.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ₺48.74

$1.41 ฿45.50

-23.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₺27.31

$1.31 ฿42.15

-53.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 ₺344

$8.09 ฿261

-5.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₺52.0

$1.28 ฿41.08

-9.38%

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

$40.1K ₺1.8M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

88.19%

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

$42.7K ₺1.9M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

96.53%

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

$48.43 ₺2,177

$69.2 ฿2,230

-30.01%

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

$8.03 ₺361

$13.97 ฿450

-42.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.49 ₺292

$17.95 ฿578

-63.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.64 ₺1,917

$42.31 ฿1,363

0.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ₺291

$5.92 ฿191

9.29%

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

$619 ₺27.8K

$299 ฿9,640

106.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,974 ₺403.4K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-39.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 ₺3,379

$56.2 ฿1,810

33.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 ₺2,053

$26.94 ฿868

69.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$163 ₺7,318

$84.9 ฿2,735

91.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ₺5,025

$71.8 ฿2,314

55.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₺23.0K

$435 ฿14.0K

17.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 ₺17.8K

$240 ฿7,727

64.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 ₺40.0K

$798 ฿25.7K

11.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 ₺31.6K

$498 ฿16.1K

40.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,382 ₺62.1K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-30.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,010 ₺45.4K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-34.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

300.00%

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

Last update for Side: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $513 in Side versus $435 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 $23 in Side versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Side vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Side 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

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

Side costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,614 per month in Side and $1,267 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 $619 per month in Side and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Side – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Side at $1,076. 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 $845 versus $1,076 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.