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 $1,965 per month in Victoria vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,172 per month in Victoria vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,378 per month in Victoria vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Victoria costs about 126% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Victoria sits 46% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.84 SCR 229

$1.98 ฿64.3

700.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.95 SCR 649

$18.80 ฿612

139.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 SCR 136

$7.75 ฿252

21.81%

Cappuccino

$4.86 SCR 70.2

$1.92 ฿62.5

153.13%

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

$2.76 SCR 39.88

$0.79 ฿25.79

249.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 SCR 38.21

$0.36 ฿11.62

636.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 SCR 56.1

$2.21 ฿72.1

76.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 SCR 65.9

$3.66 ฿119

24.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 SCR 26.71

$1.65 ฿53.8

12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 SCR 24.67

$1.63 ฿53.2

4.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 SCR 41.26

$1.19 ฿38.86

140.34%

Eggs

$3.52 SCR 50.8

$2.00 ฿65.1

76.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$34.01 SCR 491

$15.98 ฿520

112.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 SCR 87.6

$3.03 ฿98.5

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 SCR 173

$10.86 ฿354

10.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SCR 32.77

$2.76 ฿90.0

-17.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 SCR 36.73

$1.18 ฿38.42

115.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 SCR 31.36

$1.64 ฿53.5

32.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.00 SCR 86.6

$1.52 ฿49.51

294.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 SCR 28.51

$1.38 ฿45.10

42.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SCR 21.83

$1.19 ฿38.84

26.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SCR 19.94

$0.70 ฿22.86

97.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SCR 21.68

$0.56 ฿18.13

167.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.77 SCR 314

$4.58 ฿149

375.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.55 SCR 152

$16.56 ฿539

-36.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.35 SCR 62.8

$1.83 ฿59.5

137.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 SCR 96.0

$3.20 ฿104

107.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 SCR 11.71

$0.88 ฿28.56

-7.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.11 SCR 363

$18.72 ฿610

34.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.96 SCR 101

$1.36 ฿44.16

411.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 SCR 30.57

$1.34 ฿43.65

58.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.82 SCR 301

$7.84 ฿256

165.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 SCR 21.01

$1.23 ฿39.92

17.89%

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

$26.0K SCR 375.2K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

20.14%

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

$34.1K SCR 492.1K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

51.13%

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

$135 SCR 1,956

$70.5 ฿2,298

92.03%

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

$40.87 SCR 590

$13.68 ฿445

198.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$150 SCR 2,160

$17.45 ฿568

757.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.7 SCR 1,324

$41.33 ฿1,346

121.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.31 SCR 221

$6.96 ฿227

119.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 SCR 75.1

$5.77 ฿188

-9.88%

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

$158 SCR 2,275

$307 ฿10.0K

-48.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,479 SCR 122.5K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-41.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 SCR 958

$55.8 ฿1,817

18.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.59 SCR 398

$26.21 ฿854

5.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 SCR 1,015

$85.8 ฿2,793

-18.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 SCR 1,027

$72.2 ฿2,353

-1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 SCR 13.5K

$430 ฿14.0K

117.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 SCR 10.6K

$239 ฿7,774

206.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 SCR 28.7K

$817 ฿26.6K

142.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 SCR 26.1K

$511 ฿16.6K

254.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$481 SCR 6,942

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-75.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,276 SCR 18.4K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-14.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 SCR 14.1K

$619 ฿20.2K

57.50%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Victoria versus $430 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 57% 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 $45.00 in Victoria versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $241 – 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 126% 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 $2,948 per month in Victoria and $1,303 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 $158 per month in Victoria and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% 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 $869, than in Victoria at $1,965. 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 $869 versus $1,965 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.