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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,220 per month in Thiva vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,957 per month in Thiva vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,695 per month in Thiva vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Thiva costs about 44% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Thiva and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Thiva 9% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.50 €11.52

$1.95 ฿62.8

592.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.4 €48.96

$18.43 ฿594

211.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 €6.04

$7.50 ฿241

-5.60%

Cappuccino

$2.55 €2.18

$1.93 ฿62.3

32.12%

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

$1.68 €1.43

$0.78 ฿25.08

115.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 €0.43

$0.32 ฿10.42

56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 €4.07

$2.15 ฿69.2

121.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 €2.40

$3.71 ฿120

-24.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.71 ฿55.2

-9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 €1.34

$1.56 ฿50.3

1.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.80

$1.18 ฿38.06

78.81%

Eggs

$4.22 €3.60

$1.98 ฿63.9

113.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 €11.57

$16.04 ฿517

-15.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 €8.36

$3.17 ฿102

209.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 €11.15

$10.94 ฿353

19.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 €1.51

$2.63 ฿84.7

-32.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 €1.61

$1.17 ฿37.61

61.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 €0.96

$1.65 ฿53.0

-31.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 €1.59

$1.54 ฿49.51

21.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 €0.84

$1.38 ฿44.34

-28.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 €1.05

$1.17 ฿37.54

5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.66 ฿21.25

42.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 €0.38

$0.51 ฿16.55

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.99 €4.26

$4.52 ฿146

10.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.63 €5.65

$18.32 ฿590

-63.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.43

$1.80 ฿57.9

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.66

$3.18 ฿102

-38.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 €1.20

$0.90 ฿28.97

56.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.18 €40.25

$19.00 ฿612

148.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 €3.17

$1.41 ฿45.50

163.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.75 €11.73

$8.09 ฿261

69.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.83

$1.28 ฿41.08

67.97%

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

$31.2K €26.6K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

46.39%

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

$29.8K €25.4K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

37.12%

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

$187 €160

$69.2 ฿2,230

170.82%

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

$23.82 €20.32

$13.97 ฿450

70.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.43 €26.81

$17.95 ฿578

75.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.74 €42.43

$42.31 ฿1,363

17.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.88 €22.08

$6.66 ฿214

288.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 €6.72

$5.92 ฿191

33.11%

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

$348 €297

$299 ฿9,640

16.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,528 €4,715

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-62.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 €44.22

$56.2 ฿1,810

-7.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.00 €29.85

$26.94 ฿868

29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 €80.6

$84.9 ฿2,735

11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 €80.8

$71.8 ฿2,314

31.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 €301

$435 ฿14.0K

-18.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 €248

$240 ฿7,727

21.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 €653

$798 ฿25.7K

-3.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 €534

$498 ฿16.1K

25.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,839 €1,568

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-7.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,485 €1,267

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-3.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,006 €858

$628 ฿20.2K

60.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.34

-13.20%

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

Last update for Thiva: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Thiva versus $435 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 60% higher in Thiva, 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 $57 in Thiva versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 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

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

Thiva costs about 44% 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 $1,830 per month in Thiva and $1,267 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 $348 per month in Thiva and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Thiva, 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 $845, than in Thiva at $1,220. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thiva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,220 in Thiva. 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, Thiva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.