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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,568 per month in Vic vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,225 per month in Vic vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,882 per month in Vic vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Vic costs about 84% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Vic sits 17% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.72 €13.46

$1.96 ฿64.0

702.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.69 €27.12

$18.81 ฿615

68.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 €8.85

$7.92 ฿259

30.56%

Cappuccino

$1.86 €1.59

$1.91 ฿62.6

-2.62%

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

$2.95 €2.52

$0.84 ฿27.41

251.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$0.35 ฿11.51

342.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 €1.94

$2.21 ฿72.1

2.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.01

$3.80 ฿124

-7.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.64 ฿53.5

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 €1.97

$1.62 ฿53.1

41.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.18 ฿38.62

3.39%

Eggs

$2.62 €2.24

$2.01 ฿65.8

30.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.63 €9.10

$15.89 ฿520

-33.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 €5.72

$3.01 ฿98.5

122.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.23 €13.89

$10.77 ฿352

50.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 €1.61

$2.61 ฿85.5

-27.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.22 ฿39.88

36.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.70 ฿55.7

-26.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 €1.82

$1.58 ฿51.5

34.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 €0.63

$1.32 ฿43.14

-43.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 €1.99

$1.17 ฿38.23

98.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.67 ฿21.98

50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 €0.37

$0.56 ฿18.32

-23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 €5.48

$4.53 ฿148

41.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.18 €3.58

$18.20 ฿595

-77.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.83 ฿60.0

-32.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 €2.15

$3.23 ฿106

-21.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.46

$0.89 ฿29.00

92.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.29 €29.35

$19.38 ฿634

76.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 €2.09

$1.35 ฿44.20

80.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.35 ฿44.05

-24.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.84 €26.40

$8.25 ฿270

273.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.58

$1.27 ฿41.64

45.67%

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

$39.1K €33.5K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

84.92%

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

$30.4K €26.0K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

35.19%

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

$116 €99.6

$70.2 ฿2,294

65.80%

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

$21.11 €18.07

$13.77 ฿450

53.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.23 €30.15

$17.60 ฿575

100.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.26 €41.31

$41.57 ฿1,360

16.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.07 €12.90

$6.60 ฿216

128.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 €7.27

$5.78 ฿189

46.89%

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

$516 €441

$306 ฿10.0K

68.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,288 €7,095

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-44.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.19 €29.27

$54.4 ฿1,778

-37.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.26 €36.18

$26.14 ฿855

61.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 €77.7

$84.5 ฿2,764

7.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €96.7

$69.4 ฿2,270

62.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 €719

$424 ฿13.9K

98.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 €595

$238 ฿7,788

191.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 €1,119

$825 ฿27.0K

58.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 €847

$515 ฿16.8K

92.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,422 €2,073

$2,049 ฿67.0K

18.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,314 €1,980

$1,523 ฿49.8K

51.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,187 €1,872

$635 ฿20.8K

244.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

-25.00%

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

Last update for Vic: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $840 in Vic 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 244% higher in Vic, 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 $32.00 in Vic versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Vic vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Vic 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

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

Vic costs about 84% 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 $2,352 per month in Vic and $1,278 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 $516 per month in Vic and $306 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 3% cheaper in Vic – 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 Vic at $1,568. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,568 in Vic. 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, Vic makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.