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 $1,899 per month in Thames vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,977 per month in Thames vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,056 per month in Thames vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Thames costs about 123% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Thames sits 42% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 NZ$25.80

$1.96 ฿63.6

674.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 NZ$131

$18.81 ฿611

310.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 NZ$16.60

$7.92 ฿258

23.23%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.84

$1.91 ฿62.2

80.10%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$0.84 ฿27.25

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NZ$3.87

$0.35 ฿11.44

548.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.30 NZ$12.41

$2.21 ฿71.7

230.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 NZ$12.45

$3.80 ฿124

92.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$1.64 ฿53.2

10.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 NZ$3.43

$1.62 ฿52.8

24.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$1.18 ฿38.40

65.25%

Eggs

$6.85 NZ$11.64

$2.01 ฿65.4

240.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 NZ$15.04

$15.89 ฿517

-44.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.81 NZ$16.67

$3.01 ฿98.0

225.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 NZ$21.66

$10.77 ฿350

18.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 NZ$4.77

$2.61 ฿85.0

7.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.92

$1.22 ฿39.65

88.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 NZ$5.69

$1.70 ฿55.4

97.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 NZ$7.12

$1.58 ฿51.2

165.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.49

$1.32 ฿42.89

55.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 NZ$2.81

$1.17 ฿38.01

41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$0.67 ฿21.85

180.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 NZ$2.16

$0.56 ฿18.21

126.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.93 NZ$42.38

$4.53 ฿147

450.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 NZ$17.91

$18.20 ฿592

-42.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 NZ$5.08

$1.83 ฿59.6

63.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 NZ$6.73

$3.23 ฿105

22.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.12 NZ$3.60

$0.89 ฿28.83

138.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.2 NZ$109

$19.38 ฿630

231.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 NZ$3.49

$1.35 ฿43.95

51.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.30

$1.35 ฿43.79

43.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.95 NZ$59.4

$8.25 ฿268

323.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.90

$1.27 ฿41.40

34.65%

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

$28.4K NZ$48.3K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

34.22%

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

$22.0K NZ$37.4K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-2.23%

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

$145 NZ$247

$70.2 ฿2,281

106.80%

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

$30.50 NZ$51.9

$13.77 ฿448

121.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.06 NZ$83.4

$17.60 ฿572

178.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.30 NZ$63.4

$41.57 ฿1,352

-10.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.89 NZ$20.21

$6.60 ฿215

80.15%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 NZ$25.66

$5.78 ฿188

161.25%

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

$919 NZ$1,563

$306 ฿9,953

200.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K NZ$23.3K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-7.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 NZ$121

$54.4 ฿1,768

31.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 NZ$86.2

$26.14 ฿850

94.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 NZ$167

$84.5 ฿2,748

15.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 NZ$213

$69.4 ฿2,257

80.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 NZ$1,640

$424 ฿13.8K

127.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 NZ$1,330

$238 ฿7,743

228.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,665

$825 ฿26.8K

90.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 NZ$2,438

$515 ฿16.7K

178.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,476 NZ$9,309

$2,049 ฿66.6K

167.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,862 NZ$6,565

$1,523 ฿49.5K

153.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $965 in Thames 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Thames versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 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

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

Thames costs about 123% 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 $2,848 per month in Thames 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 $919 per month in Thames 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 34% 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 $1,899. 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 $1,899 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.