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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,099 per month in Vac vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,780 per month in Vac vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,462 per month in Vac vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Vac costs about 29% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vac and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Vac 17% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.09 Ft 2,876

$2.04 ฿68.4

345.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.56 Ft 14.7K

$18.71 ฿626

148.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 Ft 2,755

$7.86 ฿263

10.81%

Cappuccino

$2.15 Ft 679

$2.03 ฿67.9

5.91%

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

$1.39 Ft 438

$0.80 ฿26.71

73.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 Ft 326

$0.35 ฿11.71

194.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 Ft 585

$2.14 ฿71.7

-13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 Ft 720

$3.67 ฿123

-37.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 Ft 334

$1.73 ฿57.8

-38.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 Ft 498

$1.57 ฿52.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 606

$1.20 ฿40.10

59.17%

Eggs

$2.68 Ft 848

$1.97 ฿66.0

36.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 Ft 2,914

$16.23 ฿543

-43.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.86 Ft 1,855

$3.06 ฿102

91.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.80 Ft 3,733

$10.80 ฿361

9.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 Ft 571

$2.77 ฿92.6

-34.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 Ft 598

$1.17 ฿39.05

61.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 641

$1.71 ฿57.1

18.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 Ft 983

$1.59 ฿53.3

95.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 Ft 347

$1.39 ฿46.63

-20.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 Ft 397

$1.16 ฿38.67

8.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 Ft 473

$0.66 ฿22.11

127.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Ft 177

$0.52 ฿17.35

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.92 Ft 2,191

$4.65 ฿155

48.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 Ft 1,594

$17.78 ฿595

-71.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 Ft 342

$1.79 ฿59.8

-39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 Ft 460

$3.34 ฿112

-56.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 Ft 370

$0.91 ฿30.35

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.18 Ft 7,967

$18.64 ฿624

35.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 Ft 896

$1.41 ฿47.17

100.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 351

$1.34 ฿44.82

-17.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.98 Ft 5,372

$8.11 ฿271

109.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 Ft 530

$1.23 ฿41.27

36.59%

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

$26.1K Ft 8.3M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

21.95%

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

$30.5K Ft 9.6M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

39.64%

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

$140 Ft 44.4K

$71.3 ฿2,386

96.89%

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

$26.41 Ft 8,356

$14.01 ฿469

88.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.91 Ft 6,300

$17.93 ฿600

11.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.20 Ft 14.9K

$40.82 ฿1,365

15.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.78 Ft 5,307

$6.88 ฿230

143.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 Ft 2,317

$5.72 ฿191

27.97%

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

$294 Ft 93.1K

$308 ฿10.3K

-4.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,817 Ft 2.2M

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-53.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 Ft 22.2K

$55.8 ฿1,865

25.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.90 Ft 8,511

$26.04 ฿871

3.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 Ft 23.5K

$84.8 ฿2,837

-12.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 Ft 26.9K

$71.0 ฿2,375

19.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 Ft 135.2K

$423 ฿14.2K

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 Ft 108.5K

$242 ฿8,110

41.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 Ft 246.7K

$797 ฿26.7K

-2.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 Ft 229.5K

$507 ฿17.0K

43.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,140 Ft 993.4K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

63.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Ft 749.3K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

61.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,462 Ft 462.7K

$595 ฿19.9K

145.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.4

48.00%

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

Last update for Vac: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Vac versus $423 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 146% 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 $47.00 in Vac versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Vac vs $244 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

Vac costs about 29% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,649 per month in Vac and $1,279 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 $294 per month in Vac and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Vac at $1,099. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vac it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,099 in Vac. 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, Vac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.