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

🙂 Solo nomad: Vientiane is 4.8% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 61.7% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Vientiane is 4.4% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 62.8% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 LAK 49.9K

$1.97 ฿62.0

16.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.92 LAK 411.1K

$18.68 ฿587

1.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.56 LAK 99.0K

$7.92 ฿249

-42.42%

Cappuccino

$1.62 LAK 35.2K

$2.02 ฿63.7

-19.80%

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

$0.53 LAK 11.5K

$0.84 ฿26.45

-36.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 LAK 7,448

$0.35 ฿11.07

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 LAK 26.6K

$2.22 ฿69.9

-45.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 LAK 38.8K

$3.59 ฿113

-50.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 LAK 41.2K

$1.67 ฿52.4

13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 LAK 19.6K

$1.62 ฿51.1

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 LAK 19.9K

$1.20 ฿37.83

-23.33%

Eggs

$1.80 LAK 39.0K

$1.93 ฿60.8

-6.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.49 LAK 597.2K

$16.00 ฿503

71.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 LAK 143.5K

$3.16 ฿99.2

109.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.02 LAK 130.9K

$10.93 ฿344

-44.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 LAK 42.4K

$2.67 ฿83.8

-26.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 LAK 24.6K

$1.18 ฿36.99

-4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 LAK 44.5K

$1.64 ฿51.5

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 LAK 28.8K

$1.59 ฿49.83

-16.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 LAK 36.2K

$1.32 ฿41.64

26.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LAK 22.6K

$1.19 ฿37.49

-12.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 LAK 13.4K

$0.71 ฿22.20

-12.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 LAK 8,328

$0.56 ฿17.75

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 LAK 42.1K

$4.64 ฿146

-58.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.67 LAK 231.8K

$18.96 ฿596

-43.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 LAK 21.4K

$1.77 ฿55.7

-44.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 LAK 39.4K

$3.20 ฿101

-43.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 LAK 9,712

$0.90 ฿28.32

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.1 LAK 1.1M

$19.24 ฿605

165.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 LAK 44.4K

$1.36 ฿42.78

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 LAK 25.7K

$1.35 ฿42.37

-12.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 LAK 105.7K

$8.15 ฿256

-40.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 LAK 29.7K

$1.22 ฿38.43

12.30%

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

$29.2K LAK 633.9M

$21.4K ฿671.8K

36.54%

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

$29.8K LAK 648.1M

$21.7K ฿683.8K

37.16%

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

$73.1 LAK 1.6M

$70.3 ฿2,210

3.95%

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

$32.41 LAK 704.2K

$13.91 ฿437

133.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.37 LAK 247.1K

$18.00 ฿566

-36.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 LAK 1.1M

$41.78 ฿1,314

23.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.62 LAK 122.1K

$6.80 ฿214

-17.35%

Cinema Ticket

$2.54 LAK 55.3K

$5.72 ฿180

-55.59%

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

$334 LAK 7.3M

$308 ฿9,693

8.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,203 LAK 199.9M

$14.8K ฿465.7K

-37.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.42 LAK 617.5K

$55.9 ฿1,756

-49.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.7 LAK 1.5M

$26.71 ฿840

157.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.8 LAK 1.3M

$84.5 ฿2,658

-31.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.88 LAK 909.8K

$70.8 ฿2,227

-40.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 LAK 18.8M

$431 ฿13.5K

101.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 LAK 17.2M

$237 ฿7,439

234.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 LAK 20.6M

$811 ฿25.5K

16.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 LAK 36.3M

$501 ฿15.7K

233.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,313 LAK 50.3M

$2,202 ฿69.2K

5.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,121 LAK 24.3M

$1,600 ฿50.3K

-29.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$274 LAK 6.0M

$684 ฿21.5K

-59.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

102.40%

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

Last update for Vientiane: January 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: January 13, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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