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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Tainan vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,035 per month in Tainan vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,873 per month in Tainan vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tainan costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tainan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tainan 13% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.85 NT$154

$2.08 ฿69.2

133.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.87 NT$789

$19.64 ฿651

26.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 NT$149

$5.65 ฿188

-16.81%

Cappuccino

$3.33 NT$106

$1.81 ฿59.9

83.98%

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

$1.36 NT$43.21

$0.71 ฿23.66

91.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 NT$28.83

$0.32 ฿10.48

184.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 NT$99.8

$2.24 ฿74.2

40.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 NT$109

$3.63 ฿121

-5.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 NT$97.2

$1.96 ฿65.0

56.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 NT$56.5

$1.50 ฿49.83

18.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 NT$94.0

$1.34 ฿44.32

120.90%

Eggs

$3.07 NT$97.4

$2.26 ฿75.1

35.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.47 NT$713

$16.26 ฿539

38.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 NT$421

$2.95 ฿98.0

350.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.40 NT$679

$9.94 ฿330

115.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.44 NT$173

$2.57 ฿85.3

111.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.5

$1.06 ฿35.04

172.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 NT$155

$1.61 ฿53.5

203.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.20 NT$229

$1.52 ฿50.4

373.68%

Potato (1kg)

$4.66 NT$148

$1.27 ฿42.14

266.93%

Onion (1kg)

$4.40 NT$139

$1.07 ฿35.37

311.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 NT$91.7

$0.72 ฿23.89

301.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 NT$45.64

$0.51 ฿16.87

182.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 NT$129

$4.19 ฿139

-2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 NT$378

$17.87 ฿593

-33.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 NT$64.5

$1.69 ฿56.2

20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 NT$71.2

$2.84 ฿94.1

-20.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$20.70

$0.93 ฿30.70

-30.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.59 NT$1,066

$53.9 ฿1,787

-37.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NT$87.5

$1.23 ฿40.95

124.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 NT$30.87

$0.58 ฿19.13

67.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 NT$175

$2.42 ฿80.4

127.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.35

$1.41 ฿46.84

-27.66%

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

$36.9K NT$1.2M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

72.19%

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

$25.0K NT$793.7K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-8.48%

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

$90.2 NT$2,860

$63.7 ฿2,112

41.61%

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

$17.57 NT$557

$12.85 ฿426

36.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 NT$695

$20.22 ฿671

8.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.00 NT$1,459

$38.74 ฿1,285

18.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$11.03 NT$350

$6.74 ฿223

63.65%

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

$425 NT$13.5K

$778 ฿25.8K

-45.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,560 NT$176.4K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-61.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 NT$2,993

$54.3 ฿1,801

73.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.33 NT$1,470

$25.45 ฿844

82.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NT$3,780

$94.3 ฿3,129

26.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,920

$73.4 ฿2,436

68.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 NT$9,853

$490 ฿16.2K

-36.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 NT$6,150

$289 ฿9,596

-32.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 NT$26.8K

$894 ฿29.6K

-5.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 NT$22.9K

$517 ฿17.1K

39.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,189 NT$132.9K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

114.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 NT$99.3K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

111.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 NT$43.3K

$602 ฿20.0K

126.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

5.57

-55.12%

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

Last update for Tainan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $311 in Tainan versus $490 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 127% higher in Tainan, 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 $25.00 in Tainan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $461 vs $240 – 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

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

Tainan costs about 26% 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 $1,795 per month in Tainan and $1,421 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 $425 per month in Tainan and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 92% more in Tainan, 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 $947, than in Tainan at $1,197. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tainan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,197 in Tainan. 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, Tainan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.