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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,211 per month in Tepelene vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,887 per month in Tepelene vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,562 per month in Tepelene vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tepelene costs about 42% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tepelene and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tepelene 10% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.56 ALL 944

$1.96 ฿64.0

489.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 ALL 4,775

$18.81 ฿615

210.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 ALL 761

$7.92 ฿259

17.68%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ALL 168

$1.91 ฿62.6

7.85%

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

$1.83 ALL 149

$0.84 ฿27.41

117.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.8

$0.35 ฿11.51

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ALL 239

$2.21 ฿72.1

32.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 ALL 332

$3.80 ฿124

7.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ALL 176

$1.64 ฿53.5

31.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ALL 93.3

$1.62 ฿53.1

-29.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ALL 181

$1.18 ฿38.62

88.14%

Eggs

$3.83 ALL 313

$2.01 ฿65.8

90.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 ALL 1,062

$15.89 ฿520

-18.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 ALL 644

$3.01 ฿98.5

161.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 ALL 1,277

$10.77 ฿352

45.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 ALL 141

$2.61 ฿85.5

-33.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 ALL 224

$1.22 ฿39.88

124.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 ALL 168

$1.70 ฿55.7

21.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 ALL 164

$1.58 ฿51.5

27.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ALL 113

$1.32 ฿43.14

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 104

$1.17 ฿38.23

8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ALL 123

$0.67 ฿21.98

125.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 60.6

$0.56 ฿18.32

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ALL 343

$4.53 ฿148

-7.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 ALL 860

$18.20 ฿595

-42.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 ALL 128

$1.83 ฿60.0

-14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ALL 176

$3.23 ฿106

-33.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.95

$0.89 ฿29.00

-44.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.90 ALL 1,543

$19.38 ฿634

-2.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 ALL 283

$1.35 ฿44.20

157.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 ALL 254

$1.35 ฿44.05

130.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.49 ALL 1,428

$8.25 ฿270

112.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 ALL 174

$1.27 ฿41.64

67.72%

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

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

90.50%

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

$35.2K ALL 2.9M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

56.70%

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

$105 ALL 8,604

$70.2 ฿2,294

50.22%

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

$17.94 ALL 1,465

$13.77 ฿450

30.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.34 ALL 1,498

$17.60 ฿575

4.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 ALL 4,510

$41.57 ฿1,360

32.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.87 ALL 2,031

$6.60 ฿216

276.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.29 ALL 759

$5.78 ฿189

60.73%

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

$157 ALL 12.8K

$306 ฿10.0K

-48.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,582 ALL 455.8K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-62.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 ALL 5,079

$54.4 ฿1,778

14.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 ALL 4,156

$26.14 ฿855

94.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ALL 8,761

$84.5 ฿2,764

26.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ALL 10.4K

$69.4 ฿2,270

83.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 ALL 36.8K

$424 ฿13.9K

6.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ALL 28.3K

$238 ฿7,788

45.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ALL 50.8K

$825 ฿27.0K

-24.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 ALL 35.8K

$515 ฿16.8K

-14.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,816 ALL 148.3K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-11.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,206 ALL 98.5K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-20.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$679 ALL 55.4K

$635 ฿20.8K

6.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

10.40%

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

Last update for Tepelene: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $450 in Tepelene 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 7% higher in Tepelene, 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 $58.0 in Tepelene versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 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

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

Tepelene costs about 42% 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 $1,817 per month in Tepelene and $1,278 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 $157 per month in Tepelene and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Tepelene, 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 $852, than in Tepelene at $1,211. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tepelene it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,211 in Tepelene. 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, Tepelene makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.