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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Tibas vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,235 per month in Tibas vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,951 per month in Tibas vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tibas costs about 75% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tibas sits 13% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 ₡4,660

$1.94 ฿63.5

425.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.68 ₡13.6K

$18.64 ฿609

59.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 ₡3,990

$7.82 ฿255

11.64%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ₡893

$1.95 ฿63.8

0.51%

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

$1.22 ₡557

$0.85 ฿27.77

43.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₡549

$0.35 ฿11.58

242.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ₡891

$2.13 ฿69.6

-8.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,325

$3.73 ฿122

-22.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 ₡460

$1.71 ฿56.0

-40.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 ₡906

$1.63 ฿53.2

21.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,008

$1.14 ฿37.15

93.86%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,342

$1.93 ฿63.1

52.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 ₡4,490

$16.21 ฿530

-39.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 ₡2,340

$3.12 ฿102

64.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 ₡6,161

$10.90 ฿356

23.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 ₡2,085

$2.75 ฿90.0

65.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡660

$1.21 ฿39.52

19.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 ₡1,897

$1.62 ฿53.0

156.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 ₡1,192

$1.59 ฿51.8

64.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 ₡1,580

$1.40 ฿45.70

147.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,410

$1.17 ฿38.17

164.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₡220

$0.66 ฿21.60

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,329

$0.53 ฿17.22

449.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 ₡2,376

$4.69 ฿153

10.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.97 ₡10.0K

$18.66 ฿609

17.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₡1,097

$1.80 ฿58.8

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,346

$3.23 ฿106

-8.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₡474

$0.90 ฿29.26

15.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₡859

$1.41 ฿45.91

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡812

$1.29 ฿42.12

37.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₡3,701

$7.84 ฿256

3.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡644

$1.27 ฿41.58

11.02%

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

$37.8K ₡17.3M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

77.76%

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

$32.5K ₡14.8M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

46.17%

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

$95.3 ₡43.5K

$69.1 ฿2,256

37.96%

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

$26.00 ₡11.9K

$14.08 ฿460

84.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 ₡27.1K

$18.00 ฿588

229.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 ₡26.3K

$41.06 ฿1,341

40.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.23 ₡11.1K

$6.96 ฿227

248.13%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 ₡4,600

$5.92 ฿193

70.10%

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

$558 ₡255.0K

$299 ฿9,766

86.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-14.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 ₡28.2K

$54.7 ฿1,787

12.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 ₡23.1K

$26.77 ฿874

89.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡58.5K

$85.0 ฿2,776

50.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.7K

$70.6 ฿2,306

51.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 ₡343.2K

$428 ฿14.0K

75.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ₡271.4K

$237 ฿7,752

150.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 ₡690.9K

$801 ฿26.2K

88.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$947 ₡432.5K

$515 ฿16.8K

83.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$980 ₡447.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

58.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

103.40%

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

Last update for Tibas: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $751 in Tibas versus $428 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 59% higher in Tibas, 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 $30.00 in Tibas versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $246 – 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

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

Tibas costs about 75% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Tibas and $1,300 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Tibas and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Tibas, 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 $866, than in Tibas at $1,519. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tibas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,519 in Tibas. 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, Tibas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.