Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerset West and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerset West and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,186 per month in Somerset West vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,965 per month in Somerset West vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,744 per month in Somerset West vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Somerset West costs about 25% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Somerset West and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Somerset West 14% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.27 R 196

$2.10 ฿69.0

484.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.27 R 756

$19.84 ฿653

138.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 R 91.8

$5.79 ฿190

-0.86%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.00

$1.83 ฿60.1

15.85%

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

$1.07 R 17.07

$0.78 ฿25.49

37.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.23

$0.31 ฿10.32

206.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 R 43.73

$2.34 ฿76.8

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 R 55.4

$3.70 ฿122

-6.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 16.81

$2.03 ฿66.8

-48.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 R 16.50

$1.60 ฿52.5

-35.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.16

$1.42 ฿46.53

50.00%

Eggs

$2.34 R 37.44

$2.18 ฿71.6

7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 R 143

$15.91 ฿523

-43.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 R 87.0

$3.07 ฿101

77.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 R 155

$9.87 ฿324

-1.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R 30.83

$2.63 ฿86.4

-26.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 R 31.86

$1.10 ฿36.02

80.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 R 27.34

$1.63 ฿53.6

4.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.58

$1.53 ฿50.3

12.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.09

$1.24 ฿40.93

26.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.63

$1.13 ฿37.19

36.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 R 22.10

$0.74 ฿24.26

86.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R 16.97

$0.50 ฿16.40

112.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 R 55.4

$4.28 ฿141

-19.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 R 102

$17.97 ฿591

-64.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 R 22.97

$1.70 ฿55.8

-15.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 R 29.37

$2.90 ฿95.2

-36.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 R 19.31

$0.94 ฿30.97

28.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 R 980

$55.3 ฿1,818

10.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 R 10.34

$1.23 ฿40.56

-47.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 R 25.58

$0.53 ฿17.57

201.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 R 80.9

$2.40 ฿78.9

110.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 R 22.99

$1.44 ฿47.32

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

$30.3K R 484.3K

$21.2K ฿696.8K

42.80%

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

$30.0K R 480.2K

$27.3K ฿897.8K

9.92%

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

$86.2 R 1,379

$64.9 ฿2,135

32.73%

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

$31.45 R 503

$13.35 ฿439

135.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.32 R 645

$20.83 ฿685

93.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.98 R 752

$40.42 ฿1,329

16.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 R 178

$3.95 ฿130

181.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 R 119

$6.71 ฿221

10.88%

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

$265 R 4,239

$787 ฿25.9K

-66.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,814 R 61.0K

$15.1K ฿497.2K

-74.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.05 R 513

$56.2 ฿1,849

-43.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.89 R 510

$24.95 ฿820

27.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 R 1,160

$92.7 ฿3,048

-21.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 R 955

$75.1 ฿2,470

-20.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 R 10.7K

$484 ฿15.9K

38.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 R 6,984

$287 ฿9,446

51.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 R 21.9K

$910 ฿29.9K

50.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 R 15.6K

$531 ฿17.4K

84.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,316 R 21.1K

$1,980 ฿65.1K

-33.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 R 14.7K

$1,451 ฿47.7K

-36.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,476 R 23.6K

$605 ฿19.9K

143.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

5.57

81.69%

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

Last update for Somerset West: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $670 in Somerset West 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.

Salaries run about 144% higher in Somerset West, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Somerset West versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Somerset West vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Somerset West 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

Somerset West vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Somerset West costs about 25% 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 $1,779 per month in Somerset West 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 $265 per month in Somerset West and $787 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 16% cheaper in Somerset West – 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 $950, than in Somerset West at $1,186. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Somerset West it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,186 in Somerset West. 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, Somerset West makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.