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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,800 per month in Split vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,790 per month in Split vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,780 per month in Split vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Split costs about 108% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Split sits 34% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.26 €14.97

$1.94 ฿63.8

789.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 €70.5

$18.64 ฿611

336.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 €8.01

$7.82 ฿256

18.03%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.46

$1.95 ฿64.1

45.13%

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

$3.54 €3.07

$0.85 ฿27.90

316.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.51

$0.35 ฿11.64

725.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 €4.75

$2.13 ฿69.9

156.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 €4.32

$3.73 ฿122

33.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.71 ฿56.2

-16.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.63 ฿53.4

20.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 €3.25

$1.14 ฿37.32

228.07%

Eggs

$3.90 €3.38

$1.93 ฿63.4

102.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 €10.91

$16.21 ฿532

-22.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.23

$3.12 ฿102

204.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 €11.74

$10.90 ฿357

24.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 €1.69

$2.75 ฿90.4

-29.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.21 ฿39.70

61.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.62 ฿53.2

42.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 €1.97

$1.59 ฿52.1

42.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.40 ฿45.91

7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.17 ฿38.34

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.24

$0.66 ฿21.70

115.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.11

$0.53 ฿17.30

141.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 €5.12

$4.69 ฿154

25.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 €7.89

$18.66 ฿612

-51.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.80 ฿59.0

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 €2.10

$3.23 ฿106

-24.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.47

$0.90 ฿29.39

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.12 €33.07

$19.21 ฿630

98.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 €2.93

$1.41 ฿46.13

139.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.83

$1.29 ฿42.31

63.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.48 €8.22

$7.84 ฿257

20.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.27 ฿41.77

39.37%

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

$37.5K €32.5K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

76.22%

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

$26.3K €22.9K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

18.59%

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

$215 €187

$69.1 ฿2,266

211.77%

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

$23.99 €20.82

$14.08 ฿462

70.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.09 €30.44

$18.00 ฿591

94.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 €52.8

$41.06 ฿1,347

48.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 €12.80

$6.96 ฿228

111.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.98

$5.92 ฿194

55.41%

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

$192 €166

$299 ฿9,811

-35.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,077 €7,875

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-39.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 €71.3

$54.7 ฿1,795

50.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.64 €34.39

$26.77 ฿878

48.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €93.4

$85.0 ฿2,788

26.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €92.8

$70.6 ฿2,316

51.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 €837

$428 ฿14.0K

125.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 €618

$237 ฿7,787

199.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,656

$801 ฿26.3K

138.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 €1,086

$515 ฿16.9K

142.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,437 €6,452

$1,975 ฿64.8K

276.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,150 €4,469

$1,475 ฿48.4K

249.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,687 €1,464

$617 ฿20.3K

173.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

-14.60%

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

Last update for Split: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $965 in Split versus $428 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 173% higher in Split, 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 $81.0 in Split versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $246 – 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

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

Split costs about 108% 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 $2,699 per month in Split and $1,300 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 $192 per month in Split and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Split, 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 $866, than in Split at $1,800. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Split it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,800 in Split. 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, Split makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.