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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $930 per month in Springs vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,512 per month in Springs vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,094 per month in Springs vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Springs costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Springs and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Springs 31% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 R 137

$1.96 ฿64.0

317.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.08 R 555

$18.81 ฿615

75.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 R 78.6

$7.92 ฿259

-40.78%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R 34.41

$1.91 ฿62.6

7.33%

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

$0.82 R 13.83

$0.84 ฿27.41

-2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 R 11.09

$0.35 ฿11.51

88.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 R 28.80

$2.21 ฿72.1

-22.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 R 32.66

$3.80 ฿124

-48.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 R 20.70

$1.64 ฿53.5

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 R 17.37

$1.62 ฿53.1

-35.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 26.20

$1.18 ฿38.62

32.20%

Eggs

$2.41 R 40.44

$2.01 ฿65.8

19.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.45 R 108

$15.89 ฿520

-59.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 R 78.0

$3.01 ฿98.5

54.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 R 107

$10.77 ฿352

-40.58%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 R 16.66

$2.61 ฿85.5

-62.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 R 14.56

$1.22 ฿39.88

-28.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R 19.21

$1.70 ฿55.7

-32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 R 18.12

$1.58 ฿51.5

-31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 R 22.71

$1.32 ฿43.14

2.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R 19.49

$1.17 ฿38.23

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 R 19.09

$0.67 ฿21.98

70.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R 19.57

$0.56 ฿18.32

108.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 R 46.73

$4.53 ฿148

-38.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.01 R 67.2

$18.20 ฿595

-77.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 R 19.19

$1.83 ฿60.0

-37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 28.64

$3.23 ฿106

-47.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 27.37

$0.89 ฿29.00

83.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 R 23.98

$1.35 ฿44.20

5.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 R 22.00

$1.35 ฿44.05

-2.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 R 50.4

$8.25 ฿270

-63.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R 21.00

$1.27 ฿41.64

-1.57%

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

$18.9K R 317.0K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-10.64%

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

$25.8K R 431.9K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

14.54%

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

$124 R 2,074

$70.2 ฿2,294

76.27%

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

$37.54 R 630

$13.77 ฿450

172.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.68 R 649

$17.60 ฿575

119.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.77 R 617

$41.57 ฿1,360

-11.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 R 130

$5.78 ฿189

33.91%

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

$84.6 R 1,418

$306 ฿10.0K

-72.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,676 R 28.1K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-88.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 R 858

$54.4 ฿1,778

-5.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.95 R 536

$26.14 ฿855

22.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 R 1,445

$84.5 ฿2,764

1.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 R 1,469

$69.4 ฿2,270

26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 R 4,468

$424 ฿13.9K

-37.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 R 4,155

$238 ฿7,788

4.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 R 11.2K

$825 ฿27.0K

-19.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 R 10.7K

$515 ฿16.8K

23.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,530 R 25.7K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-25.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$685 R 11.5K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-55.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,153 R 19.3K

$635 ฿20.8K

81.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.62

112.40%

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

Last update for Springs: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Springs versus $424 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 82% higher in Springs, 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 $33.00 in Springs versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $163 in Springs vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Springs 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

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

Springs costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,395 per month in Springs and $1,278 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Springs and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 50% cheaper in Springs – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $930 in Springs and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $930 in Springs. 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, Springs makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.