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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Tsu vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,857 per month in Tsu vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tsu vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tsu costs about 43% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tsu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tsu 8% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.96 ¥1,131

$1.96 ฿65.8

255.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.23 ¥3,125

$18.35 ฿617

4.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.24 ¥689

$7.48 ฿252

-43.32%

Cappuccino

$3.24 ¥526

$2.02 ฿67.8

60.40%

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

$1.14 ¥185

$0.85 ฿28.50

34.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.36 ฿11.96

97.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$2.14 ฿71.8

32.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ¥715

$3.59 ฿121

22.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ¥259

$1.65 ฿55.5

-3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥233

$1.57 ฿52.7

-8.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.81 ¥781

$1.19 ฿40.02

304.20%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥399

$1.94 ฿65.1

26.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ¥1,746

$16.19 ฿544

-33.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 ¥1,068

$2.99 ฿101

120.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.22 ¥3,123

$10.94 ฿368

75.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ¥577

$2.71 ฿91.2

31.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ¥347

$1.17 ฿39.25

82.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 ¥405

$1.69 ฿56.7

47.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥700

$1.60 ฿54.0

169.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ¥280

$1.38 ฿46.54

25.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ¥203

$1.20 ฿40.45

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥222

$0.67 ฿22.50

104.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥146

$0.56 ฿18.73

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 ¥641

$4.64 ฿156

-14.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.40 ¥1,528

$17.62 ฿593

-46.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥342

$1.86 ฿62.5

13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥472

$3.30 ฿111

-11.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥262

$0.88 ฿29.68

82.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.5 ¥9,184

$19.34 ฿650

192.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 ¥720

$1.36 ฿45.90

225.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 ¥551

$1.34 ฿44.98

152.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.34 ¥3,791

$8.21 ฿276

184.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥200

$1.22 ฿41.18

0.82%

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

$22.7K ¥3.7M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

6.39%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-23.77%

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

$133 ¥21.7K

$70.7 ฿2,376

88.78%

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

$26.56 ¥4,315

$14.04 ฿472

89.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.61 ¥4,974

$17.49 ฿588

75.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ¥9,196

$42.15 ฿1,417

34.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.81 ¥2,244

$6.88 ฿231

100.73%

Cinema Ticket

$12.41 ¥2,017

$5.92 ฿199

109.63%

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

$68.8 ¥11.2K

$309 ฿10.4K

-77.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-29.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.16 ¥7,175

$55.8 ฿1,875

-20.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 ¥4,804

$26.11 ฿878

13.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 ¥11.0K

$83.0 ฿2,792

-18.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.4K

$70.5 ฿2,369

34.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 ¥75.2K

$432 ฿14.5K

7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ¥52.8K

$239 ฿8,035

36.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 ¥139.6K

$822 ฿27.7K

4.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ¥107.8K

$512 ฿17.2K

29.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,866 ¥790.6K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

154.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,303 ¥374.2K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

56.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

-63.80%

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

Last update for Tsu: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Tsu versus $432 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 $19.00 in Tsu versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 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

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

Tsu costs about 43% 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 $1,847 per month in Tsu and $1,292 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 $68.8 per month in Tsu and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Tsu, 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 $861, than in Tsu at $1,231. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tsu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,231 in Tsu. 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, Tsu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.