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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,219 per month in Taree vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,292 per month in Taree vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,366 per month in Taree vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Taree costs about 158% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Taree sits 66% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.07 A$23.03

$1.96 ฿65.9

719.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 A$112

$18.35 ฿617

327.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$14.18

$7.48 ฿252

32.35%

Cappuccino

$3.34 A$4.79

$2.02 ฿67.8

65.35%

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

$2.63 A$3.77

$0.85 ฿28.52

209.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 A$3.00

$0.36 ฿11.97

480.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.39 A$9.15

$2.14 ฿71.9

198.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 A$10.40

$3.59 ฿121

102.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.15

$1.65 ฿55.5

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 A$3.49

$1.57 ฿52.7

54.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 A$2.79

$1.19 ฿40.05

63.87%

Eggs

$4.40 A$6.31

$1.94 ฿65.1

126.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 A$11.97

$16.19 ฿545

-48.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 A$11.79

$2.99 ฿101

175.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.52 A$19.36

$10.94 ฿368

23.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$2.71 ฿91.2

22.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.04

$1.17 ฿39.27

141.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 A$4.31

$1.69 ฿56.8

78.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 A$5.72

$1.60 ฿54.0

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.50

$1.38 ฿46.56

76.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 A$3.15

$1.20 ฿40.47

83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 A$3.13

$0.67 ฿22.51

225.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 A$2.16

$0.56 ฿18.74

169.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.35 A$44.91

$4.64 ฿156

575.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 A$10.72

$17.62 ฿593

-57.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.59 A$6.58

$1.86 ฿62.6

146.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 A$7.70

$3.30 ฿111

62.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 A$3.83

$0.88 ฿29.70

204.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 A$91.5

$19.34 ฿651

230.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 A$5.00

$1.36 ฿45.92

156.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.31

$1.34 ฿45.00

20.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.48 A$47.97

$8.21 ฿276

307.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.65

$1.22 ฿41.20

-5.74%

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

$28.5K A$40.9K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

33.60%

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

$22.3K A$31.9K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-1.07%

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

$181 A$259

$70.7 ฿2,378

155.81%

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

$27.85 A$39.90

$14.04 ฿472

98.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 A$76.6

$17.49 ฿589

205.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.52 A$71.0

$42.15 ฿1,418

17.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.58 A$22.32

$6.88 ฿231

126.45%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 A$18.58

$5.92 ฿199

119.09%

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

$1,628 A$2,332

$309 ฿10.4K

427.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$17.5K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-17.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 A$96.9

$55.8 ฿1,876

21.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 A$73.0

$26.11 ฿879

95.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$145

$83.0 ฿2,793

21.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$151

$70.5 ฿2,371

49.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 A$1,809

$432 ฿14.5K

192.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 A$1,524

$239 ฿8,040

345.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 A$2,904

$822 ฿27.7K

146.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 A$2,426

$512 ฿17.2K

230.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,081 A$10.1K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

269.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,963 A$7,111

$1,467 ฿49.4K

238.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,868 A$4,109

$579 ฿19.5K

395.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

26.80%

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

Last update for Taree: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,263 in Taree versus $432 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 395% higher in Taree, 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 $79.0 in Taree versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $243 – 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

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

Taree costs about 158% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,328 per month in Taree and $1,292 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 $1,628 per month in Taree and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Taree, 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 $861, than in Taree at $2,219. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taree it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,219 in Taree. 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, Taree makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.