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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $313 per month in Tongi vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $520 per month in Tongi vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $727 per month in Tongi vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tongi is about 63% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tongi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tongi 77% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 ৳205

$1.96 ฿64.0

-14.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.72 ৳1,194

$18.81 ฿615

-48.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ৳611

$7.92 ฿259

-37.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 ৳495

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ৳590

Cappuccino

$1.49 ৳182

$1.91 ฿62.6

-21.99%

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

$0.35 ৳42.48

$0.84 ฿27.41

-58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ৳21.60

$0.35 ฿11.51

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ৳85.9

$1.64 ฿53.5

-57.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ৳73.2

$1.62 ฿53.1

-62.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 ৳75.7

$1.18 ฿38.62

-47.46%

Eggs

$1.17 ৳143

$2.01 ฿65.8

-41.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.86 ৳842

$15.89 ฿520

-56.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.54 ৳312

$3.01 ฿98.5

-15.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.47 ৳672

$10.77 ฿352

-49.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ৳274

$2.61 ฿85.5

-14.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 ৳123

$1.22 ฿39.88

-18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 ৳258

$1.70 ฿55.7

23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 ৳74.9

$1.58 ฿51.5

-61.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 ৳34.54

$1.32 ฿43.14

-78.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ৳46.24

$1.17 ฿38.23

-67.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 ৳40.00

$0.67 ฿21.98

-50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 ৳31.57

$0.56 ฿18.32

-53.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.53 ৳1,047

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ৳280

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 ৳602

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ৳346

$4.53 ฿148

-37.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ৳27.01

$0.89 ฿29.00

-75.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.17 ৳1,248

$19.38 ฿634

-47.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ৳104

$1.35 ฿44.20

-37.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ৳48.90

$1.35 ฿44.05

-70.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 ৳245

$8.25 ฿270

-75.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 ৳124

$1.27 ฿41.64

-20.47%

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

$28.3K ৳3.5M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

33.84%

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

$27.6K ৳3.4M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

22.66%

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

$30.02 ৳3,685

$70.2 ฿2,294

-57.21%

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

$4.61 ৳566

$13.77 ฿450

-66.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.23 ৳1,133

$17.60 ฿575

-47.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.70 ৳1,682

$41.57 ฿1,360

-67.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.88 ৳1,458

$6.60 ฿216

80.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.17 ৳512

$5.78 ฿189

-27.85%

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

$27.20 ৳3,339

$306 ฿10.0K

-91.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$928 ৳113.9K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-93.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.95 ৳1,958

$54.4 ฿1,778

-70.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.82 ৳2,188

$26.14 ฿855

-31.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.28 ৳4,085

$84.5 ฿2,764

-60.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.46 ৳4,476

$69.4 ฿2,270

-47.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$68.5 ৳8,414

$424 ฿13.9K

-83.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$41.28 ৳5,067

$238 ฿7,788

-82.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 ৳20.4K

$825 ฿27.0K

-79.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.6 ৳12.0K

$515 ฿16.8K

-81.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$563 ৳69.1K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-72.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$342 ৳42.0K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-77.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.29

105.80%

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

Last update for Tongi: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $68.5 in Tongi 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 $10.00 in Tongi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $104 vs $243 – making Tongi 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 172% more than Tongi, 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 $470 per month in Tongi 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 Tongi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $27.20 per month in Tongi 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 133% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $313 in Tongi and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tongi costs $313 versus $852 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 Tongi. 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.