😐A single person spends $1,207 per month in Tamási vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Tamási vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,530 per month in Tamási vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Tamási costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Tamási and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tamási12% lower, Chiang Mai31% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tamási
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.82Ft 3,077
$2.10฿69.3
367.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.1Ft 19.4K
$19.84฿656
212.80%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.52Ft 2,982
$5.79฿191
64.42%
Cappuccino
$2.45Ft 766
$1.83฿60.4
33.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59Ft 498
$0.78฿25.61
103.85%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37Ft 430
$0.31฿10.37
341.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.28Ft 713
$2.34฿77.2
-2.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31Ft 725
$3.70฿122
-37.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tamási
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09Ft 341
$2.03฿67.1
-46.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43Ft 447
$1.60฿52.7
-10.63%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.25Ft 393
$1.42฿46.75
-11.97%
Eggs
$2.23Ft 699
$2.18฿71.9
2.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.38Ft 3,251
$15.91฿526
-34.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.12Ft 1,916
$3.07฿102
99.35%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.69Ft 3,975
$9.87฿326
28.57%
Apples(1kg)
$1.54Ft 483
$2.63฿86.8
-41.44%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64Ft 512
$1.10฿36.19
49.09%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.89Ft 593
$1.63฿53.8
15.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.11Ft 973
$1.53฿50.6
103.27%
Potato(1kg)
$0.99Ft 311
$1.24฿41.13
-20.16%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12Ft 350
$1.13฿37.37
-0.88%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55Ft 486
$0.74฿24.38
109.46%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52Ft 164
$0.50฿16.48
4.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.17Ft 2,245
$4.28฿141
67.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.21Ft 1,320
$17.97฿594
-76.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19Ft 374
$1.70฿56.1
-30.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56Ft 489
$2.90฿95.7
-46.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Tamási
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.24Ft 387
$0.94฿31.13
31.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.00Ft 8,769
$55.3฿1,827
-49.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.19Ft 999
$1.23฿40.76
159.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.73Ft 543
$0.53฿17.66
226.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.12Ft 5,990
$2.40฿79.3
696.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.87Ft 585
$1.44฿47.55
29.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8KFt 9.0M
$21.2K฿700.2K
35.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.0KFt 11.9M
$27.3K฿902.1K
39.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tamási
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122Ft 38.2K
$64.9฿2,145
88.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.08Ft 7,228
$13.35฿441
72.88%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.23Ft 5,397
$20.83฿688
-17.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tamási
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.54Ft 15.5K
$40.42฿1,336
22.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.87Ft 5,911
$3.95฿131
377.72%
Cinema Ticket
$7.99Ft 2,504
$6.71฿222
19.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tamási
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$260Ft 81.4K
$787฿26.0K
-66.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,125Ft 2.2M
$15.1K฿499.6K
-52.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tamási
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.1Ft 29.2K
$56.2฿1,858
65.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.56Ft 10.5K
$24.95฿824
34.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.5Ft 24.0K
$92.7฿3,063
-17.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.1Ft 20.1K
$75.1฿2,482
-14.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tamási
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$533Ft 167.0K
$484฿16.0K
10.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$412Ft 129.1K
$287฿9,491
43.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$757Ft 237.0K
$910฿30.1K
-16.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$660Ft 206.8K
$531฿17.5K
24.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,039Ft 952.1K
$1,980฿65.4K
53.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,656Ft 831.9K
$1,451฿47.9K
83.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tamási
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,218Ft 381.5K
$605฿20.0K
101.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
5.57
19.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tamási: September 6, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $533 in Tamási versus $484 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 101% 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 $62.0 in Tamási versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Tamási vs $242 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
Which city is more expensive, Tamási or Chiang Mai?
Tamási costs about 27% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tamási and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,810 per month in Tamási and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tamási or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Tamási and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $260 per month in Tamási and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Tamási or in Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Tamási – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Tamási or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Tamási at $1,207. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tamási it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tamási or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,207 in Tamási. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Tamási 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 Tamási or to Chiang Mai?
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.