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 $1,826 per month in Split vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,813 per month in Split vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,800 per month in Split vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Split costs about 116% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Split sits 36% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.63 €15.04

$1.95 ฿62.8

804.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 €67.8

$18.43 ฿594

331.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 €7.83

$7.50 ฿241

22.40%

Cappuccino

$2.90 €2.48

$1.93 ฿62.3

50.26%

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

$3.42 €2.91

$0.78 ฿25.08

338.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.48

$0.32 ฿10.42

809.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 €4.66

$2.15 ฿69.2

153.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 €4.19

$3.71 ฿120

32.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.71 ฿55.2

-19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.56 ฿50.3

25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 €3.32

$1.18 ฿38.06

230.51%

Eggs

$3.94 €3.36

$1.98 ฿63.9

98.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.66 €10.80

$16.04 ฿517

-21.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 €8.37

$3.17 ฿102

209.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.89 €11.85

$10.94 ฿353

26.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 €1.63

$2.63 ฿84.7

-27.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.64

$1.17 ฿37.61

64.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 €1.93

$1.65 ฿53.0

37.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 €1.99

$1.54 ฿49.51

51.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 €1.29

$1.38 ฿44.34

10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 €1.23

$1.17 ฿37.54

23.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.26

$0.66 ฿21.25

124.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.07

$0.51 ฿16.55

145.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.63 €4.80

$4.52 ฿146

24.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.16 €7.82

$18.32 ฿590

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 €1.43

$1.80 ฿57.9

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.02

$3.18 ฿102

-25.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.45

$0.90 ฿28.97

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.24 €33.47

$19.00 ฿612

106.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 €2.94

$1.41 ฿45.50

144.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.31 ฿42.15

56.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 €7.74

$8.09 ฿261

12.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.28 ฿41.08

39.06%

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

$38.7K €33.0K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

81.60%

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

$25.9K €22.1K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

19.55%

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

$216 €184

$69.2 ฿2,230

211.53%

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

$23.43 €19.98

$13.97 ฿450

67.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.52 €30.30

$17.95 ฿578

97.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 €51.2

$42.31 ฿1,363

41.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.34 €12.23

$6.66 ฿214

115.32%

Cinema Ticket

$9.32 €7.95

$5.92 ฿191

57.43%

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

$192 €164

$299 ฿9,640

-35.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,852 €7,550

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-40.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 €70.5

$56.2 ฿1,810

47.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.61 €34.64

$26.94 ฿868

50.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.4

$84.9 ฿2,735

24.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 €88.7

$71.8 ฿2,314

44.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 €828

$435 ฿14.0K

123.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 €591

$240 ฿7,727

188.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,857 €1,584

$798 ฿25.7K

132.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 €1,088

$498 ฿16.1K

155.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,230 €6,167

$1,995 ฿64.3K

262.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,922 €4,199

$1,532 ฿49.4K

221.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,656 €1,413

$628 ฿20.2K

163.66%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $970 in Split 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.

Salaries run about 164% 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 $80 in Split versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $244 – 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 116% 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 $2,739 per month in Split 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 $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 21% 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 $845, than in Split at $1,826. 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 $845 versus $1,826 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.