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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,862 per month in Thames vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,904 per month in Thames vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,946 per month in Thames vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Thames costs about 114% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Thames sits 39% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 NZ$25.85

$1.98 ฿64.6

662.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 NZ$133

$18.80 ฿615

314.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 NZ$16.97

$7.75 ฿253

27.74%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$5.83

$1.92 ฿62.7

77.08%

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

$2.35 NZ$4.02

$0.79 ฿25.87

197.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 NZ$3.75

$0.36 ฿11.66

508.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.34

$2.21 ฿72.3

225.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 NZ$12.23

$3.66 ฿120

95.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$3.02

$1.65 ฿54.0

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 NZ$3.63

$1.63 ฿53.3

30.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.36

$1.19 ฿38.99

64.71%

Eggs

$6.79 NZ$11.63

$2.00 ฿65.3

239.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 NZ$15.15

$15.98 ฿522

-44.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 NZ$16.85

$3.03 ฿98.9

224.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 NZ$21.93

$10.86 ฿355

17.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 NZ$5.00

$2.76 ฿90.3

5.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.78

$1.18 ฿38.55

86.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NZ$5.60

$1.64 ฿53.7

99.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 NZ$7.12

$1.52 ฿49.68

173.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.43

$1.38 ฿45.25

44.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.79

$1.19 ฿38.97

36.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NZ$3.37

$0.70 ฿22.94

181.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 NZ$2.18

$0.56 ฿18.19

126.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.54 NZ$43.77

$4.58 ฿150

457.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 NZ$16.87

$16.56 ฿541

-40.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 NZ$5.27

$1.83 ฿59.7

68.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 NZ$6.50

$3.20 ฿105

18.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 NZ$3.71

$0.88 ฿28.66

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 NZ$108

$18.72 ฿612

236.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 NZ$3.54

$1.36 ฿44.31

51.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 NZ$3.43

$1.34 ฿43.80

49.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.61 NZ$61.0

$7.84 ฿256

354.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$2.91

$1.23 ฿40.06

38.21%

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

$28.6K NZ$49.0K

$21.6K ฿706.7K

32.29%

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

$22.1K NZ$37.9K

$22.5K ฿736.8K

-1.83%

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

$143 NZ$244

$70.5 ฿2,305

102.07%

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

$29.99 NZ$51.4

$13.68 ฿447

119.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.45 NZ$84.7

$17.45 ฿570

183.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.47 NZ$64.2

$41.33 ฿1,351

-9.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.23 NZ$20.95

$6.96 ฿228

75.72%

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 NZ$26.14

$5.77 ฿189

164.30%

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

$897 NZ$1,537

$307 ฿10.0K

191.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.1K

$14.6K ฿477.5K

-7.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NZ$122

$55.8 ฿1,823

27.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 NZ$87.3

$26.21 ฿856

94.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 NZ$170

$85.8 ฿2,802

15.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$216

$72.2 ฿2,361

74.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$990 NZ$1,696

$430 ฿14.0K

130.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 NZ$1,350

$239 ฿7,800

230.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 NZ$2,696

$817 ฿26.7K

92.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 NZ$2,430

$511 ฿16.7K

177.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,452 NZ$7,630

$1,983 ฿64.8K

124.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,317 NZ$5,684

$1,484 ฿48.5K

123.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

27.40%

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

Last update for Thames: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $990 in Thames versus $430 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Thames versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $241 – 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

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

Thames costs about 114% 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 $2,793 per month in Thames and $1,303 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 $897 per month in Thames and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Thames, 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 $869, than in Thames at $1,862. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thames it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,862 in Thames. 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, Thames makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.