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 $1,541 per month in Vic vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,186 per month in Vic vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,831 per month in Vic vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Vic costs about 81% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Vic sits 16% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.45 €13.38

$2.04 ฿68.2

657.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.06 €27.77

$18.71 ฿624

71.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 €9.19

$7.86 ฿262

34.99%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.59

$2.03 ฿67.7

-9.85%

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

$2.91 €2.52

$0.80 ฿26.64

263.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.37

$0.35 ฿11.68

351.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 €2.03

$2.14 ฿71.5

9.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 €2.97

$3.67 ฿122

-6.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 €1.24

$1.73 ฿57.6

-17.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.98

$1.57 ฿52.4

45.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.20 ฿39.99

6.67%

Eggs

$2.56 €2.22

$1.97 ฿65.8

29.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 €8.95

$16.23 ฿541

-36.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 €5.97

$3.06 ฿102

125.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.08 €13.92

$10.80 ฿360

48.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 €1.59

$2.77 ฿92.3

-33.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.17 ฿38.94

40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.71 ฿57.0

-25.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 €1.78

$1.59 ฿53.2

28.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 €0.64

$1.39 ฿46.51

-46.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$1.16 ฿38.56

104.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 €0.92

$0.66 ฿22.05

62.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 €0.37

$0.52 ฿17.31

-17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.52 €5.64

$4.65 ฿155

40.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.50 €3.90

$17.78 ฿593

-74.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.06

$1.79 ฿59.6

-31.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 €2.15

$3.34 ฿111

-25.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.91 ฿30.27

83.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.97 €29.42

$18.64 ฿622

82.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 €2.07

$1.41 ฿47.04

69.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.34 ฿44.70

-23.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.73 €26.61

$8.11 ฿270

278.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.54

$1.23 ฿41.16

44.72%

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

$39.3K €34.1K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

83.54%

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

$29.6K €25.7K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

35.74%

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

$115 €99.2

$71.3 ฿2,379

60.59%

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

$21.20 €18.36

$14.01 ฿467

51.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.86 €31.06

$17.93 ฿598

100.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.53 €41.16

$40.82 ฿1,362

16.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.91 €12.91

$6.88 ฿230

116.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.43 €7.30

$5.72 ฿191

47.38%

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

$521 €451

$308 ฿10.3K

68.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,235 €7,131

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-43.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.10 €30.40

$55.8 ฿1,860

-37.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 €36.02

$26.04 ฿869

59.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 €78.4

$84.8 ฿2,829

6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 €96.7

$71.0 ฿2,368

57.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 €735

$423 ฿14.1K

100.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$686 €594

$242 ฿8,088

182.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 €1,144

$797 ฿26.6K

65.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$989 €857

$507 ฿16.9K

95.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,362 €2,911

$1,918 ฿64.0K

75.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,222 €1,924

$1,464 ฿48.8K

51.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,300 €1,991

$595 ฿19.9K

286.45%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $849 in Vic 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 286% 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 $244 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 81% 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 $2,312 per month in Vic 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 $521 per month in Vic 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 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 $1,541. 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 $1,541 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.