Cost of Living Comparison Between Ta Khmau and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ta Khmau and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $456 per month in Ta Khmau vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $743 per month in Ta Khmau vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,031 per month in Ta Khmau vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ta Khmau is about 47% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ta Khmau and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ta Khmau 66% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ta Khmau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.47 ៛9,923
$1.94 ฿63.5
27.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.09 ៛96.9K
$18.64 ฿609
29.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.19 ៛28.9K
$7.82 ฿255
-8.06%
Cappuccino
$1.62 ៛6,499
$1.95 ฿63.8
-16.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ៛2,944
$0.85 ฿27.77
-14.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ៛1,928
$0.35 ฿11.58
37.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.98 ៛3,921
$2.13 ฿69.6
-53.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 ៛7,723
$3.73 ฿122
-48.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ta Khmau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 ៛7,318
$1.71 ฿56.0
6.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.37 ៛5,526
$1.63 ฿53.2
-15.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.96 ៛3,855
$1.14 ฿37.15
-15.79%
Eggs
$1.64 ៛6,581
$1.93 ฿63.1
-15.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.07 ៛52.5K
$16.21 ฿530
-19.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.60 ៛14.5K
$3.12 ฿102
15.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.32 ៛41.5K
$10.90 ฿356
-5.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.57 ៛14.4K
$2.75 ฿90.0
29.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.13 ៛4,548
$1.21 ฿39.52
-6.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.38 ៛13.6K
$1.62 ฿53.0
108.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.32 ៛5,293
$1.59 ฿51.8
-16.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.30 ៛5,246
$1.40 ฿45.70
-7.14%
Onion (1kg)
$0.89 ៛3,582
$1.17 ฿38.17
-23.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 ៛5,488
$0.66 ฿21.60
106.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 ៛2,721
$0.53 ฿17.22
28.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.83 ៛7,358
$4.69 ฿153
-60.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.49 ៛30.1K
$18.66 ฿609
-59.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ៛3,198
$1.80 ฿58.8
-55.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 ៛6,778
$3.23 ฿106
-47.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Ta Khmau
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.90 ฿29.26
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.21 ฿628
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.07 ៛4,313
$1.41 ฿45.91
-24.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.97 ៛3,902
$1.29 ฿42.12
-24.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.48 ៛18.0K
$7.84 ฿256
-42.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 ៛4,490
$1.27 ฿41.58
-11.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.4K ៛198.8M
$21.3K ฿694.9K
132.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0K ៛148.6M
$22.2K ฿725.4K
66.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ta Khmau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$74.0 ៛297.3K
$69.1 ฿2,256
7.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.05 ៛24.3K
$14.08 ฿460
-57.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.89 ៛80.0K
$18.00 ฿588
10.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ta Khmau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$41.06 ฿1,341
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.96 ฿227
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.45 ៛17.9K
$5.92 ฿193
-24.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ta Khmau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$366 ៛1.5M
$299 ฿9,766
22.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,076 ៛20.4M
$15.0K ฿488.3K
-66.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ta Khmau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.06 ៛88.7K
$54.7 ฿1,787
-59.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.39 ៛73.9K
$26.77 ฿874
-31.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$55.8 ៛224.2K
$85.0 ฿2,776
-34.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.14 ៛145.3K
$70.6 ฿2,306
-48.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ta Khmau
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$428 ฿14.0K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$237 ฿7,752
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$801 ฿26.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$515 ฿16.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,975 ฿64.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,475 ฿48.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ta Khmau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$617 ฿20.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.2
5
84.00%

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

Last update for Ta Khmau: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Ta Khmau versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Ta Khmau vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Ta Khmau 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
Ta Khmau vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ta Khmau or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 90% more than Ta Khmau, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ta Khmau vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $684 per month in Ta Khmau and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Ta Khmau vs Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Ta Khmau and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Ta Khmau or Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 14% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Ta Khmau or Chiang Mai?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $456 in Ta Khmau and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ta Khmau or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ta Khmau costs $456 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Ta Khmau compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Ta Khmau or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Ta Khmau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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