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 $1,227 per month in Tepelene vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,874 per month in Tepelene vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,520 per month in Tepelene vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tepelene costs about 29% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tepelene and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tepelene 11% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.16 ALL 803

$2.10 ฿69.3

383.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ALL 4,291

$19.84 ฿656

173.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 ALL 907

$5.79 ฿191

98.45%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ALL 195

$1.83 ฿60.4

34.97%

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

$2.49 ALL 196

$0.78 ฿25.61

219.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ALL 102

$0.31 ฿10.37

316.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ALL 282

$2.34 ฿77.2

52.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 ALL 320

$3.70 ฿122

9.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ALL 177

$2.03 ฿67.1

10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ALL 101

$1.60 ฿52.7

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 ALL 192

$1.42 ฿46.75

71.83%

Eggs

$3.74 ALL 295

$2.18 ฿71.9

71.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 ALL 1,071

$15.91 ฿526

-14.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 ALL 720

$3.07 ฿102

197.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.65 ALL 1,394

$9.87 ฿326

78.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ALL 152

$2.63 ฿86.8

-26.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 ALL 201

$1.10 ฿36.19

131.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 ALL 172

$1.63 ฿53.8

33.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ALL 155

$1.53 ฿50.6

28.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ALL 85.1

$1.24 ฿41.13

-12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 101

$1.13 ฿37.37

12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ALL 118

$0.74 ฿24.38

102.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ALL 65.2

$0.50 ฿16.48

66.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 ALL 395

$4.28 ฿141

16.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 ALL 899

$17.97 ฿594

-36.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ALL 144

$1.70 ฿56.1

7.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ALL 161

$2.90 ฿95.7

-29.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 38.27

$0.94 ฿31.13

-48.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.28 ALL 1,602

$55.3 ฿1,827

-63.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ALL 293

$1.23 ฿40.76

201.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.84 ALL 304

$0.53 ฿17.66

624.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.08 ALL 1,507

$2.40 ฿79.3

695.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.41 ALL 190

$1.44 ฿47.55

67.36%

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

$34.4K ALL 2.7M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

62.36%

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

$36.0K ALL 2.8M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

31.93%

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

$105 ALL 8,269

$64.9 ฿2,145

61.25%

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

$19.08 ALL 1,507

$13.35 ฿441

42.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.97 ALL 1,656

$20.83 ฿688

0.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ALL 4,669

$40.42 ฿1,336

46.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$10.26 ALL 810

$6.71 ฿222

52.91%

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

$355 ALL 28.0K

$787 ฿26.0K

-54.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,347 ALL 659.3K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-44.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ALL 4,010

$56.2 ฿1,858

-9.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.35 ALL 3,739

$24.95 ฿824

89.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ALL 9,863

$92.7 ฿3,063

34.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ALL 8,983

$75.1 ฿2,482

51.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ALL 38.1K

$484 ฿16.0K

-0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 ALL 26.5K

$287 ฿9,491

16.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 ALL 56.1K

$910 ฿30.1K

-21.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ALL 38.4K

$531 ฿17.5K

-8.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,887 ALL 149.0K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-4.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,250 ALL 98.7K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-13.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$701 ALL 55.3K

$605 ฿20.0K

15.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

5.57

1.26%

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

Last update for Tepelene: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Tepelene 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 16% 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 $54.0 in Tepelene versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $242 – 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 29% 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 $1,841 per month in Tepelene 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.

Kindergarten costs $355 per month in Tepelene and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $950, than in Tepelene at $1,227. 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 $950 versus $1,227 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.