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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,239 per month in Tunapuna vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,986 per month in Tunapuna vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,732 per month in Tunapuna vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Tunapuna and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tunapuna 8% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 TTD 39.82

$1.98 ฿64.3

197.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 TTD 492

$18.80 ฿612

286.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 TTD 44.15

$7.75 ฿252

-15.74%

Cappuccino

$3.01 TTD 20.33

$1.92 ฿62.5

56.77%

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

$0.54 TTD 3.68

$0.79 ฿25.79

-31.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 TTD 3.05

$0.36 ฿11.62

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 TTD 10.22

$2.21 ฿72.1

-31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 TTD 20.31

$3.66 ฿119

-18.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 TTD 14.22

$1.65 ฿53.8

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 TTD 18.18

$1.63 ฿53.2

65.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 TTD 17.92

$1.19 ฿38.86

122.69%

Eggs

$4.94 TTD 33.43

$2.00 ฿65.1

147.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 TTD 54.0

$15.98 ฿520

-50.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.46 TTD 70.7

$3.03 ฿98.5

245.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.21 TTD 96.0

$10.86 ฿354

30.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.77 TTD 39.01

$2.76 ฿90.0

109.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.40

$1.18 ฿38.42

117.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 TTD 30.00

$1.64 ฿53.5

170.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 TTD 31.75

$1.52 ฿49.51

209.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 TTD 9.96

$1.38 ฿45.10

6.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 TTD 11.68

$1.19 ฿38.84

45.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.87

$0.70 ฿22.86

171.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 TTD 6.85

$0.56 ฿18.13

80.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.02 TTD 33.95

$4.58 ฿149

9.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.81 TTD 127

$16.56 ฿539

13.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TTD 10.15

$1.83 ฿59.5

-18.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.55

$3.20 ฿104

-14.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.16

$1.36 ฿44.16

-22.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 TTD 8.21

$1.34 ฿43.65

-9.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.95 TTD 101

$7.84 ฿256

90.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 TTD 6.81

$1.23 ฿39.92

-17.89%

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

$33.4K TTD 225.8K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

54.44%

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

$38.6K TTD 260.7K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

71.05%

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

$80.0 TTD 541

$70.5 ฿2,298

13.44%

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

$47.46 TTD 321

$13.68 ฿445

246.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 TTD 416

$17.45 ฿568

252.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$9.71 TTD 65.7

$5.77 ฿188

68.28%

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

$326 TTD 2,201

$307 ฿10.0K

6.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,083 TTD 47.9K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-51.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 TTD 401

$55.8 ฿1,817

6.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.95 TTD 257

$26.21 ฿854

44.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 TTD 1,003

$85.8 ฿2,793

72.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 TTD 394

$72.2 ฿2,353

-19.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 TTD 2,973

$430 ฿14.0K

2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 TTD 2,630

$239 ฿7,774

62.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 TTD 7,105

$817 ฿26.6K

28.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 TTD 4,827

$511 ฿16.6K

39.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

7.60%

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

Last update for Tunapuna: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Tunapuna versus $430 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 $73.0 in Tunapuna versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $241 – 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

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

Tunapuna 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 $1,859 per month in Tunapuna and $1,303 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 $73.0 in Tunapuna 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 50% more in Tunapuna, 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 $869, than in Tunapuna at $1,239. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tunapuna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,239 in Tunapuna. 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, Tunapuna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.