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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,838 per month in Soustons vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,865 per month in Soustons vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,892 per month in Soustons vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Soustons costs about 112% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Soustons sits 37% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.09 €14.81

$1.98 ฿65.0

763.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €61.1

$18.80 ฿619

275.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 €10.98

$7.75 ฿255

63.48%

Cappuccino

$3.45 €2.99

$1.92 ฿63.2

79.69%

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

$2.62 €2.27

$0.79 ฿26.07

231.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.52

$0.36 ฿11.74

386.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 €7.05

$2.21 ฿72.9

267.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 €5.00

$3.66 ฿120

57.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.65 ฿54.4

-21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 €0.52

$1.63 ฿53.7

-63.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 €2.25

$1.19 ฿39.28

117.65%

Eggs

$3.13 €2.72

$2.00 ฿65.8

56.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.36 €21.98

$15.98 ฿526

58.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.55 €12.61

$3.03 ฿99.6

380.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.28 €15.85

$10.86 ฿357

68.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 €2.76

$2.76 ฿90.9

15.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 €2.56

$1.18 ฿38.83

150.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 €2.79

$1.64 ฿54.0

96.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 €3.05

$1.52 ฿50.0

131.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 €2.02

$1.38 ฿45.59

68.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 €2.56

$1.19 ฿39.25

148.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.22

$0.70 ฿23.11

101.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.56 ฿18.32

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.70 €12.74

$4.58 ฿151

220.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.78 €5.87

$16.56 ฿545

-59.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 €3.50

$1.83 ฿60.2

120.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 €2.74

$3.20 ฿105

-0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.00 €1.73

$0.88 ฿28.87

127.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.01 €41.61

$18.72 ฿616

156.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 €2.68

$1.36 ฿44.64

127.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.34 ฿44.12

-2.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.00 €35.54

$7.84 ฿258

422.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.73

$1.23 ฿40.35

61.79%

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

$37.7K €32.7K

$21.6K ฿711.8K

74.39%

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

$40.0K €34.7K

$22.5K ฿742.2K

77.62%

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

$188 €163

$70.5 ฿2,322

166.09%

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

$22.79 €19.75

$13.68 ฿450

66.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 €31.92

$17.45 ฿574

111.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.74 €32.71

$41.33 ฿1,361

-8.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.42 €15.96

$6.96 ฿229

164.66%

Cinema Ticket

$13.63 €11.81

$5.77 ฿190

136.22%

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

$846 €733

$307 ฿10.1K

175.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K €16.2K

$14.6K ฿481.0K

27.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$122 €105

$55.8 ฿1,837

117.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.54 €42.94

$26.21 ฿863

89.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 €112

$85.8 ฿2,823

50.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 €141

$72.2 ฿2,378

125.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 €671

$430 ฿14.1K

80.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 €529

$239 ฿7,857

155.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 €1,212

$817 ฿26.9K

71.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 €930

$511 ฿16.8K

110.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,212 €3,651

$1,983 ฿65.3K

112.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,108 €2,694

$1,484 ฿48.9K

109.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.71

-25.80%

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

Last update for Soustons: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $774 in Soustons versus $430 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 $71.0 in Soustons versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $379 vs $241 – 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

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

Soustons costs about 112% 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 $2,757 per month in Soustons and $1,303 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 $846 per month in Soustons and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Soustons, 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 $869, than in Soustons at $1,838. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Soustons it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,838 in Soustons. 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, Soustons makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.