Cost of Living Comparison Between Vac and Chiang MaiCost of Living Comparison Between Vac and Chiang Mai
Monthly Cost of Living
😐A single person spends $1,136 per month in Vac vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,780 per month in Vac vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,424 per month in Vac vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Vac costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Vac and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Vac15% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.82Ft 2,753
$1.96฿64.0
350.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.76Ft 14.3K
$18.81฿615
143.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.75Ft 2,729
$7.92฿259
10.48%
Cappuccino
$2.09Ft 651
$1.91฿62.6
9.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38Ft 431
$0.84฿27.41
64.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08Ft 338
$0.35฿11.51
208.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.90Ft 594
$2.21฿72.1
-14.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18Ft 680
$3.80฿124
-42.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10Ft 342
$1.64฿53.5
-32.93%
White Bread(500g)
$1.49Ft 465
$1.62฿53.1
-8.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.82Ft 567
$1.18฿38.62
54.24%
Eggs
$2.69Ft 838
$2.01฿65.8
33.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.53Ft 2,974
$15.89฿520
-40.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84Ft 1,823
$3.01฿98.5
94.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.59Ft 3,618
$10.77฿352
7.61%
Apples(1kg)
$1.81Ft 564
$2.61฿85.5
-30.65%
Banana(1kg)
$1.93Ft 602
$1.22฿39.88
58.20%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.02Ft 632
$1.70฿55.7
18.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.02Ft 942
$1.58฿51.5
91.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.14Ft 354
$1.32฿43.14
-13.64%
Onion(1kg)
$1.26Ft 393
$1.17฿38.23
7.69%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.56Ft 487
$0.67฿21.98
132.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52Ft 163
$0.56฿18.32
-7.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.68Ft 2,086
$4.53฿148
47.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.16Ft 1,611
$18.20฿595
-71.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.08Ft 338
$1.83฿60.0
-40.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42Ft 444
$3.23฿106
-56.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Vac
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.18Ft 369
$0.89฿29.00
32.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.77Ft 7,727
$19.38฿634
27.81%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.89Ft 903
$1.35฿44.20
114.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.11Ft 346
$1.35฿44.05
-17.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.31Ft 5,401
$8.25฿270
109.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.77Ft 551
$1.27฿41.64
39.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0KFt 8.1M
$21.2K฿691.8K
22.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4KFt 9.8M
$22.5K฿735.3K
39.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$143Ft 44.7K
$70.2฿2,294
104.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.24Ft 8,186
$13.77฿450
90.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.77Ft 6,169
$17.60฿575
12.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.69Ft 14.6K
$41.57฿1,360
12.32%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98Ft 5,298
$6.60฿216
157.27%
Cinema Ticket
$7.21Ft 2,250
$5.78฿189
24.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$289Ft 90.2K
$306฿10.0K
-5.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,852Ft 2.1M
$14.8K฿484.8K
-53.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.1Ft 22.5K
$54.4฿1,778
32.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.08Ft 8,448
$26.14฿855
3.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$75.6Ft 23.6K
$84.5฿2,764
-10.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.0Ft 26.5K
$69.4฿2,270
22.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vac
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$426Ft 133.1K
$424฿13.9K
0.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$351Ft 109.5K
$238฿7,788
47.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$792Ft 247.0K
$825฿27.0K
-4.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719Ft 224.4K
$515฿16.8K
39.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,076Ft 959.9K
$2,049฿67.0K
50.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,442Ft 761.8K
$1,523฿49.8K
60.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,499Ft 467.8K
$635฿20.8K
136.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.4
5
48.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Vac: April 27, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Vac 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.
💰Salaries run about 136% higher in Vac, 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 $46.00 in Vac versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Vac vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Vac 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
Vac vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Vac or Chiang Mai?
Vac costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Vac vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,704 per month in Vac and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Vac or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Vac and Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $289 per month in Vac and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Vac or Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Vac – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Vac or Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Vac at $1,136. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vac it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Vac or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,136 in Vac. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Vac compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Vac or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.