Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubon Ratchathani and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubon Ratchathani and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $790 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $872 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,425 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $1,337 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,060 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ubon Ratchathani is about 9% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ubon Ratchathani and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ubon Ratchathani 41% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿96.6

$2.01 ฿64.5

49.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.29 ฿779

$18.23 ฿584

33.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 ฿205

$7.65 ฿245

-16.47%

Cappuccino

$1.86 ฿59.5

$1.92 ฿61.5

-3.12%

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

$1.06 ฿34.00

$0.84 ฿26.97

26.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.82

$0.36 ฿11.42

36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.1

$2.19 ฿70.2

15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿91.2

$3.79 ฿121

-25.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿55.9

$1.64 ฿52.5

6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ฿42.61

$1.62 ฿52.0

-17.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.15 ฿36.98

13.91%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿69.2

$1.94 ฿62.2

11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.38 ฿589

$15.94 ฿511

15.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ฿99.0

$3.10 ฿99.5

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.60 ฿340

$11.07 ฿355

-4.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.4

$2.71 ฿86.8

14.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ฿40.55

$1.18 ฿37.80

6.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ฿60.6

$1.71 ฿54.7

10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿50.9

$1.61 ฿51.5

-1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿47.30

$1.39 ฿44.66

6.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿38.65

$1.15 ฿36.81

5.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.96

$0.71 ฿22.83

45.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.34

$0.55 ฿17.65

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿134

$4.57 ฿146

-8.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 ฿448

$18.87 ฿605

-25.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ฿55.1

$1.82 ฿58.4

-5.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ฿85.6

$3.21 ฿103

-16.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿30.51

$0.88 ฿28.24

7.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿35.49

$1.41 ฿45.30

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿36.74

$1.30 ฿41.71

-11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 ฿198

$8.20 ฿263

-24.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.11

$1.23 ฿39.29

4.07%

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

$27.7K ฿888.5K

$21.2K ฿678.9K

30.88%

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

$27.0K ฿865.8K

$22.3K ฿715.3K

21.04%

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

$75.9 ฿2,432

$69.9 ฿2,240

8.57%

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

$13.05 ฿418

$14.07 ฿451

-7.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 ฿483

$17.70 ฿567

-14.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 ฿1,587

$41.41 ฿1,328

19.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.28 ฿394

$6.69 ฿215

83.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 ฿222

$5.74 ฿184

20.38%

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

$294 ฿9,438

$299 ฿9,593

-1.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,474 ฿303.7K

$15.0K ฿481.2K

-36.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.84 ฿1,085

$54.8 ฿1,758

-38.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 ฿1,103

$26.35 ฿845

30.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 ฿3,122

$84.7 ฿2,714

15.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,264

$69.7 ฿2,236

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿7,750

$427 ฿13.7K

-43.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 ฿5,307

$241 ฿7,718

-31.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 ฿25.9K

$811 ฿26.0K

-0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 ฿20.9K

$498 ฿16.0K

30.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,288 ฿73.4K

$2,022 ฿64.8K

13.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,520 ฿48.7K

$1,524 ฿48.9K

-0.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 ฿12.8K

$639 ฿20.5K

-37.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.00%

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

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: April 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $427 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 60% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $24 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Ubon Ratchathani vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Ubon Ratchathani 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

Ubon Ratchathani vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Ubon Ratchathani, 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 $1,185 per month in Ubon Ratchathani and $1,308 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubon Ratchathani, 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 $24.00 in Ubon Ratchathani and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $790 in Ubon Ratchathani and $872 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubon Ratchathani costs $790 versus $872 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 Ubon Ratchathani. 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.