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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,129 per month in Tembisa vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,768 per month in Tembisa vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,406 per month in Tembisa vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tembisa costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tembisa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tembisa 18% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 R 169

$2.10 ฿69.3

400.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.92 R 675

$19.84 ฿656

111.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 R 93.7

$5.79 ฿191

0.52%

Cappuccino

$2.37 R 38.18

$1.83 ฿60.4

29.51%

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

$1.13 R 18.15

$0.78 ฿25.61

44.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.28

$0.31 ฿10.37

187.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 R 39.22

$2.34 ฿77.2

4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R 44.02

$3.70 ฿122

-26.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 R 19.61

$2.03 ฿67.1

-39.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.14

$1.60 ฿52.7

-29.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 R 29.03

$1.42 ฿46.75

26.76%

Eggs

$2.61 R 42.00

$2.18 ฿71.9

19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 R 140

$15.91 ฿526

-45.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 R 87.4

$3.07 ฿102

76.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 R 123

$9.87 ฿326

-22.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R 31.03

$2.63 ฿86.8

-26.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.71

$1.10 ฿36.19

50.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 R 29.58

$1.63 ฿53.8

12.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.31

$1.53 ฿50.6

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.02

$1.24 ฿41.13

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.55

$1.13 ฿37.37

29.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 R 20.55

$0.74 ฿24.38

72.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R 17.13

$0.50 ฿16.48

112.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 R 58.1

$4.28 ฿141

-15.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 R 89.7

$17.97 ฿594

-69.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 R 22.89

$1.70 ฿56.1

-16.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 R 28.68

$2.90 ฿95.7

-38.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 R 28.74

$0.94 ฿31.13

89.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 R 9.63

$1.23 ฿40.76

-51.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.22

$0.53 ฿17.66

79.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 R 143

$2.40 ฿79.3

269.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 R 24.25

$1.44 ฿47.55

4.86%

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

$39.5K R 635.9K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

86.32%

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

$34.8K R 560.5K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

27.46%

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

$144 R 2,318

$64.9 ฿2,145

121.67%

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

$38.59 R 621

$13.35 ฿441

189.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.91 R 611

$20.83 ฿688

82.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.04 R 516

$40.42 ฿1,336

-20.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 R 121

$6.71 ฿222

11.92%

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

$257 R 4,138

$787 ฿26.0K

-67.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,205 R 83.8K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-65.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 R 814

$56.2 ฿1,858

-10.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.46 R 474

$24.95 ฿824

18.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 R 1,905

$92.7 ฿3,063

27.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 R 1,350

$75.1 ฿2,482

11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,728

$484 ฿16.0K

-13.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 R 5,953

$287 ฿9,491

28.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 R 11.2K

$910 ฿30.1K

-23.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 R 12.4K

$531 ฿17.5K

45.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$890 R 14.3K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-55.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$623 R 10.0K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-57.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 R 9,370

$605 ฿20.0K

-3.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Tembisa: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Tembisa 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 4% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Tembisa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Tembisa vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Tembisa 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

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

Tembisa costs about 19% 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 $1,693 per month in Tembisa and $1,426 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Tembisa and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Tembisa – 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 $950, than in Tembisa at $1,129. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tembisa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,129 in Tembisa. 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, Tembisa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.