Cost of Living Comparison Between Thung Song and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Thung Song and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $915 per month in Thung Song vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,539 per month in Thung Song vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,162 per month in Thung Song vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Thung Song is about 4% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Thung Song and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Thung Song 34% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 ฿151

$2.10 ฿69.4

117.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.12 ฿599

$19.84 ฿656

-8.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 ฿285

$5.79 ฿192

48.88%

Cappuccino

$2.29 ฿75.8

$1.83 ฿60.5

25.14%

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

$0.75 ฿24.65

$0.78 ฿25.63

-3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.44

$0.31 ฿10.38

-6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿79.0

$2.34 ฿77.3

2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 ฿129

$3.70 ฿122

5.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ฿61.1

$2.03 ฿67.1

-8.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.38

$1.60 ฿52.8

-8.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ฿51.9

$1.42 ฿46.80

10.56%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿71.6

$2.18 ฿72.0

-0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 ฿670

$15.91 ฿526

27.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ฿111

$3.07 ฿102

9.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 ฿381

$9.87 ฿326

16.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ฿99.0

$2.63 ฿86.9

13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.6

$1.10 ฿36.23

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.70 ฿23.12

$1.63 ฿53.9

-57.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 ฿70.6

$1.53 ฿50.6

39.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.11

$1.24 ฿41.16

19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.06

$1.13 ฿37.40

20.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ฿37.97

$0.74 ฿24.41

55.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.38

$0.50 ฿16.50

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿150

$4.28 ฿142

5.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.62 ฿616

$17.97 ฿594

3.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.70 ฿56.2

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ฿74.4

$2.90 ฿95.8

-22.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.77

$0.94 ฿31.15

-7.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿77.6

$1.23 ฿40.80

91.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.24

$0.53 ฿17.67

96.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 ฿133

$2.40 ฿79.4

67.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ฿36.40

$1.44 ฿47.60

-23.61%

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

$27.5K ฿909.9K

$21.2K ฿700.9K

29.83%

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

$27.5K ฿910.6K

$27.3K ฿903.0K

0.84%

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

$30.04 ฿993

$64.9 ฿2,147

-53.73%

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

$5.96 ฿197

$13.35 ฿442

-55.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.18 ฿469

$20.83 ฿689

-31.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.64 ฿1,476

$40.42 ฿1,337

10.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.92 ฿493

$3.95 ฿131

277.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 ฿255

$6.71 ฿222

15.05%

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

$576 ฿19.1K

$787 ฿26.0K

-26.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ฿388.1K

$15.1K ฿500.1K

-22.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.60 ฿913

$56.2 ฿1,859

-50.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.12 ฿599

$24.95 ฿825

-27.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 ฿3,287

$92.7 ฿3,066

7.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 ฿3,024

$75.1 ฿2,484

21.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 ฿12.9K

$484 ฿16.0K

-19.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 ฿10.0K

$287 ฿9,500

5.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 ฿50.2K

$910 ฿30.1K

66.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 ฿27.6K

$531 ฿17.5K

57.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,173 ฿71.8K

$1,980 ฿65.5K

9.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,682 ฿55.6K

$1,451 ฿48.0K

15.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-10.23%

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

Last update for Thung Song: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Thung Song 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Thung Song versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Thung Song vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Thung Song vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Thung Song, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,373 per month in Thung Song 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 Thung Song, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Thung Song and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Thung Song, where all-in costs run around $915, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Thung Song it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Thung Song costs $915 versus $950 in Chiang Mai. 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 Thung Song. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.