🙂A single person spends $626 per month in Tema vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,005 per month in Tema vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,384 per month in Tema vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Tema is about 27% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Tema and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tema53% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Tema
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.24GHS 80.8
$1.96฿63.6
269.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.52GHS 307
$18.81฿611
46.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.09GHS 90.3
$7.92฿258
2.15%
Cappuccino
$1.50GHS 16.76
$1.91฿62.2
-21.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99GHS 11.07
$0.84฿27.25
17.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33GHS 3.69
$0.35฿11.44
-5.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.74GHS 19.44
$2.21฿71.7
-21.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67GHS 29.76
$3.80฿124
-29.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tema
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$3.07GHS 34.23
$1.64฿53.2
87.20%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62GHS 18.04
$1.62฿52.8
-
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.49GHS 16.64
$1.18฿38.40
26.27%
Eggs
$2.15GHS 24.00
$2.01฿65.4
6.97%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.71GHS 41.37
$15.89฿517
-76.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.72GHS 30.41
$3.01฿98.0
-9.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$2.50GHS 27.87
$10.77฿350
-76.79%
Apples(1kg)
$2.81GHS 31.36
$2.61฿85.0
7.66%
Banana(1kg)
$2.06GHS 23.02
$1.22฿39.65
68.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.09GHS 23.37
$1.70฿55.4
22.94%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.80GHS 31.29
$1.58฿51.2
77.22%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90GHS 21.24
$1.32฿42.89
43.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.92GHS 21.39
$1.17฿38.01
64.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.64GHS 7.09
$0.67฿21.85
-4.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82GHS 9.15
$0.56฿18.21
46.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.53฿147
-
Wine(Bottle)
$8.54GHS 95.3
$18.20฿592
-53.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.84GHS 9.39
$1.83฿59.6
-54.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.23฿105
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tema
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.02GHS 22.57
$0.89฿28.83
126.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$38.63GHS 431
$19.38฿630
99.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35GHS 15.09
$1.35฿43.95
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.77GHS 8.55
$1.35฿43.79
-42.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$8.25฿268
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.25GHS 13.91
$1.27฿41.40
-1.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.2K฿687.8K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$22.5K฿731.0K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tema
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$30.51GHS 341
$70.2฿2,281
-56.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.08GHS 135
$13.77฿448
-12.27%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.9GHS 725
$17.60฿572
268.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tema
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.31GHS 215
$41.57฿1,352
-53.55%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.60฿215
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$5.78฿188
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tema
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$82.6GHS 922
$306฿9,953
-73.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$14.8K฿482.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tema
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.03GHS 279
$54.4฿1,768
-53.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.84GHS 277
$26.14฿850
-4.97%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$44.69GHS 499
$84.5฿2,748
-47.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$61.5GHS 687
$69.4฿2,257
-11.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tema
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$119GHS 1,324
$424฿13.8K
-72.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$66.7GHS 744
$238฿7,743
-72.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$825฿26.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$135GHS 1,510
$515฿16.7K
-73.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$10.2KGHS 113.4K
$2,049฿66.6K
395.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,068GHS 67.7K
$1,523฿49.5K
298.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tema
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$463GHS 5,172
$635฿20.6K
-27.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
32.5
5
550.00%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Tema: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $119 in Tema versus $424 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 37% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $28.00 in Tema versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $186 in Tema vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Tema wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Tema vs Chiang Mai: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Tema or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Tema, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 Tema vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $939 per month in Tema and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tema or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tema, 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 Tema and Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $82.6 per month in Tema and $306 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 Tema or Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 31% 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 $800/month in Tema or Chiang Mai?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $626 in Tema and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tema or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tema costs $626 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Tema 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 Tema or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Tema. 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.