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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $895 per month in Yala vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,453 per month in Yala vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,011 per month in Yala vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yala costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Yala and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Yala 33% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.51 ฿49.26

$1.98 ฿64.3

-23.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.44 ฿894

$18.80 ฿612

45.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 ฿200

$7.75 ฿252

-20.77%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿65.6

$1.92 ฿62.5

5.21%

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

$0.55 ฿17.80

$0.79 ฿25.79

-30.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ฿6.87

$0.36 ฿11.62

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ฿81.4

$2.21 ฿72.1

13.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$3.66 ฿119

0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ฿54.6

$1.65 ฿53.8

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿43.59

$1.63 ฿53.2

-17.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.06

$1.19 ฿38.86

10.92%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿72.5

$2.00 ฿65.1

11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.63 ฿607

$15.98 ฿520

16.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$3.03 ฿98.5

-0.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 ฿346

$10.86 ฿354

-2.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.76 ฿90.0

13.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.52

$1.18 ฿38.42

5.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ฿61.4

$1.64 ฿53.5

14.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.52 ฿49.51

4.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿47.42

$1.38 ฿45.10

5.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.48

$1.19 ฿38.84

4.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ฿31.64

$0.70 ฿22.86

38.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.71

$0.56 ฿18.13

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ฿143

$4.58 ฿149

-4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.04 ฿523

$16.56 ฿539

-3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ฿56.0

$1.83 ฿59.5

-6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.20 ฿104

-13.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ฿20.87

$0.88 ฿28.56

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿34.82

$1.36 ฿44.16

-21.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ฿37.04

$1.34 ฿43.65

-14.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 ฿198

$7.84 ฿256

-22.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ฿34.61

$1.23 ฿39.92

-13.82%

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

$27.8K ฿904.0K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

28.36%

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

$27.1K ฿883.0K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

20.25%

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

$76.2 ฿2,483

$70.5 ฿2,298

8.08%

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

$12.45 ฿405

$13.68 ฿445

-8.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 ฿596

$17.45 ฿568

4.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.51 ฿1,580

$41.33 ฿1,346

17.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.14 ฿395

$6.96 ฿227

74.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 ฿230

$5.77 ฿188

22.53%

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

$294 ฿9,568

$307 ฿10.0K

-4.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,514 ฿309.9K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-34.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.42 ฿1,089

$55.8 ฿1,817

-40.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.22 ฿1,115

$26.21 ฿854

30.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,279

$85.8 ฿2,793

17.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,313

$72.2 ฿2,353

-1.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ฿13.5K

$430 ฿14.0K

-3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,322

$239 ฿7,774

19.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 ฿26.2K

$817 ฿26.6K

-1.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 ฿21.0K

$511 ฿16.6K

26.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿62.3K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-3.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 ฿43.7K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-9.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.00%

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

Last update for Yala: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $415 in Yala 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Yala versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 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

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

Yala costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,343 per month in Yala 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Yala and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Yala, 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 Yala at $895. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $895 in Yala. 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, Yala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.