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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,020 per month in Tamási vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,579 per month in Tamási vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,137 per month in Tamási vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tamási costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tamási and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tamási 23% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 Ft 2,388

$2.04 ฿68.4

270.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.38 Ft 14.4K

$18.71 ฿626

142.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Ft 1,781

$7.86 ฿263

-28.37%

Cappuccino

$2.03 Ft 641

$2.03 ฿67.9

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

$1.44 Ft 455

$0.80 ฿26.71

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 Ft 436

$0.35 ฿11.71

294.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 Ft 720

$2.14 ฿71.7

6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 Ft 685

$3.67 ฿123

-40.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 Ft 327

$1.73 ฿57.8

-40.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 Ft 495

$1.57 ฿52.5

-0.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 Ft 360

$1.20 ฿40.10

-5.00%

Eggs

$2.02 Ft 638

$1.97 ฿66.0

2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Ft 2,518

$16.23 ฿543

-50.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 Ft 1,781

$3.06 ฿102

83.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 Ft 3,599

$10.80 ฿361

5.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 Ft 446

$2.77 ฿92.6

-49.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 Ft 466

$1.17 ฿39.05

25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 Ft 535

$1.71 ฿57.1

-1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 Ft 911

$1.59 ฿53.3

81.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 Ft 295

$1.39 ฿46.63

-33.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 Ft 377

$1.16 ฿38.67

2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 Ft 456

$0.66 ฿22.11

118.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Ft 152

$0.52 ฿17.35

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 Ft 1,939

$4.65 ฿155

31.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.22 Ft 1,336

$17.78 ฿595

-76.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 Ft 312

$1.79 ฿59.8

-45.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 Ft 448

$3.34 ฿112

-57.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 Ft 374

$0.91 ฿30.35

29.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.98 Ft 7,905

$18.64 ฿624

34.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 Ft 871

$1.41 ฿47.17

95.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 Ft 400

$1.34 ฿44.82

-5.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.11 Ft 5,413

$8.11 ฿271

110.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 Ft 534

$1.23 ฿41.27

37.40%

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

$26.3K Ft 8.3M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

22.76%

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

$25.8K Ft 8.2M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

18.24%

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

$104 Ft 32.9K

$71.3 ฿2,386

45.60%

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

$25.00 Ft 7,908

$14.01 ฿469

78.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 Ft 4,128

$17.93 ฿600

-27.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.25 Ft 14.6K

$40.82 ฿1,365

13.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.82 Ft 5,322

$6.88 ฿230

144.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 Ft 2,297

$5.72 ฿191

26.92%

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

$224 Ft 70.9K

$308 ฿10.3K

-27.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,458 Ft 2.0M

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-56.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.2 Ft 26.6K

$55.8 ฿1,865

51.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.36 Ft 9,289

$26.04 ฿871

12.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 Ft 21.5K

$84.8 ฿2,837

-19.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.2 Ft 17.8K

$71.0 ฿2,375

-20.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 Ft 143.6K

$423 ฿14.2K

7.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 Ft 107.2K

$242 ฿8,110

39.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 Ft 202.0K

$797 ฿26.7K

-19.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 Ft 170.4K

$507 ฿17.0K

6.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,032 Ft 959.4K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

58.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 Ft 861.7K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

86.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,216 Ft 384.6K

$595 ฿19.9K

104.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

17.00%

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

Last update for Tamási: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $454 in Tamási versus $423 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 104% higher in Tamási, 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 $45.00 in Tamási versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Tamási vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Tamási 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

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

Tamási costs about 20% 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 $1,531 per month in Tamási and $1,279 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 $224 per month in Tamási and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Tamási – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Tamási at $1,020. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tamási it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,020 in Tamási. 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, Tamási makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.