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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,978 per month in Victoria vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,130 per month in Victoria vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,283 per month in Victoria vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Victoria costs about 132% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Victoria sits 48% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 SCR 231

$1.96 ฿63.6

702.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 SCR 649

$18.81 ฿611

135.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 SCR 131

$7.92 ฿258

12.88%

Cappuccino

$4.98 SCR 73.0

$1.91 ฿62.2

160.73%

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

$2.66 SCR 39.00

$0.84 ฿27.25

216.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SCR 40.03

$0.35 ฿11.44

680.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 SCR 57.4

$2.21 ฿71.7

77.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 SCR 67.7

$3.80 ฿124

21.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SCR 26.25

$1.64 ฿53.2

9.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 SCR 26.25

$1.62 ฿52.8

10.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 SCR 40.29

$1.18 ฿38.40

133.05%

Eggs

$3.65 SCR 53.6

$2.01 ฿65.4

81.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.94 SCR 498

$15.89 ฿517

113.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 SCR 87.9

$3.01 ฿98.0

99.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 SCR 171

$10.77 ฿350

8.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 SCR 33.73

$2.61 ฿85.0

-11.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 SCR 39.11

$1.22 ฿39.65

118.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SCR 31.26

$1.70 ฿55.4

25.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 SCR 91.9

$1.58 ฿51.2

296.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 SCR 30.17

$1.32 ฿42.89

56.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 SCR 21.67

$1.17 ฿38.01

26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 SCR 19.29

$0.67 ฿21.85

95.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SCR 21.83

$0.56 ฿18.21

166.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.64 SCR 317

$4.53 ฿147

377.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 SCR 148

$18.20 ฿592

-44.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.43 SCR 65.0

$1.83 ฿59.6

142.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 SCR 98.5

$3.23 ฿105

107.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 SCR 12.33

$0.89 ฿28.83

-5.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.64 SCR 362

$19.38 ฿630

27.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 SCR 101

$1.35 ฿43.95

408.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 SCR 31.24

$1.35 ฿43.79

57.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.97 SCR 308

$8.25 ฿268

154.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 SCR 20.54

$1.27 ฿41.40

10.24%

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

$26.3K SCR 385.4K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

24.17%

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

$34.8K SCR 509.8K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

54.56%

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

$135 SCR 1,974

$70.2 ฿2,281

91.82%

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

$40.70 SCR 597

$13.77 ฿448

195.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$155 SCR 2,276

$17.60 ฿572

781.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.2 SCR 1,353

$41.57 ฿1,352

121.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.39 SCR 226

$6.60 ฿215

133.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 SCR 74.4

$5.78 ฿188

-12.28%

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

$154 SCR 2,263

$306 ฿9,953

-49.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,288 SCR 121.6K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-44.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 SCR 968

$54.4 ฿1,768

21.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.17 SCR 399

$26.14 ฿850

3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 SCR 1,034

$84.5 ฿2,748

-16.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 SCR 1,067

$69.4 ฿2,257

4.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$936 SCR 13.7K

$424 ฿13.8K

120.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 SCR 10.8K

$238 ฿7,743

210.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 SCR 29.5K

$825 ฿26.8K

143.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 SCR 26.2K

$515 ฿16.7K

247.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$465 SCR 6,820

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-77.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,208 SCR 17.7K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-20.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$904 SCR 13.3K

$635 ฿20.6K

42.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

230.00%

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

Last update for Victoria: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $936 in Victoria 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 42% higher in Victoria, 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 $44.00 in Victoria versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Victoria costs about 132% 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 $2,966 per month in Victoria 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 $154 per month in Victoria and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Victoria, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Victoria at $1,978. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Victoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,978 in Victoria. 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, Victoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.