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 $1,873 per month in Thames vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,933 per month in Thames vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,994 per month in Thames vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Thames costs about 120% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Thames sits 41% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.30 NZ$26.37

$2.04 ฿68.4

650.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 NZ$135

$18.71 ฿626

317.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 NZ$16.23

$7.86 ฿263

19.85%

Cappuccino

$3.47 NZ$5.99

$2.03 ฿67.9

70.94%

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

$2.36 NZ$4.07

$0.80 ฿26.71

195.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 NZ$3.90

$0.35 ฿11.71

545.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$12.11

$2.14 ฿71.7

228.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 NZ$12.37

$3.67 ฿123

95.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.09

$1.73 ฿57.8

4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 NZ$3.50

$1.57 ฿52.5

29.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.43

$1.20 ฿40.10

65.83%

Eggs

$6.67 NZ$11.50

$1.97 ฿66.0

238.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 NZ$14.94

$16.23 ฿543

-46.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 NZ$16.54

$3.06 ฿102

213.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 NZ$21.96

$10.80 ฿361

17.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 NZ$5.01

$2.77 ฿92.6

5.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.92

$1.17 ฿39.05

94.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NZ$5.64

$1.71 ฿57.1

91.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 NZ$7.16

$1.59 ฿53.3

161.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.40

$1.39 ฿46.63

41.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 NZ$2.83

$1.16 ฿38.67

41.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 NZ$3.25

$0.66 ฿22.11

186.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.15

$0.52 ฿17.35

140.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.88 NZ$42.87

$4.65 ฿155

435.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 NZ$17.76

$17.78 ฿595

-42.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 NZ$5.15

$1.79 ฿59.8

67.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 NZ$6.61

$3.34 ฿112

14.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 NZ$3.53

$0.91 ฿30.35

125.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 NZ$110

$18.64 ฿624

243.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 NZ$3.70

$1.41 ฿47.17

52.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.34

$1.34 ฿44.82

44.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 NZ$60.4

$8.11 ฿271

332.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.80

$1.23 ฿41.27

32.52%

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

$28.0K NZ$48.2K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

30.46%

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

$22.0K NZ$37.9K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

0.90%

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

$145 NZ$250

$71.3 ฿2,386

103.59%

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

$30.64 NZ$52.8

$14.01 ฿469

118.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.70 NZ$83.9

$17.93 ฿600

171.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.43 NZ$62.8

$40.82 ฿1,365

-10.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.01 NZ$20.69

$6.88 ฿230

74.56%

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 NZ$26.19

$5.72 ฿191

165.73%

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

$906 NZ$1,562

$308 ฿10.3K

194.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K NZ$23.6K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-6.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NZ$123

$55.8 ฿1,865

27.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.64 NZ$85.5

$26.04 ฿871

90.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 NZ$170

$84.8 ฿2,837

16.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 NZ$216

$71.0 ฿2,375

76.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 NZ$1,662

$423 ฿14.2K

127.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$777 NZ$1,339

$242 ฿8,110

220.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 NZ$2,757

$797 ฿26.7K

100.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,422 NZ$2,450

$507 ฿17.0K

180.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,260 NZ$7,341

$1,918 ฿64.2K

122.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,770 NZ$6,495

$1,464 ฿49.0K

157.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $964 in Thames versus $423 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: $322 vs $244 – 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 120% 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 $2,810 per month in Thames and $1,279 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 $906 per month in Thames and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $852, than in Thames at $1,873. 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 $852 versus $1,873 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.