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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,459 per month in Yens vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,362 per month in Yens vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,264 per month in Yens vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yens costs about 302% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Yens sits 159% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.31 CHF 24.51

$1.96 ฿65.9

1446.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$18.35 ฿617

701.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.91 CHF 15.29

$7.48 ฿252

152.81%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.77

$2.02 ฿67.8

192.08%

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

$5.46 CHF 4.41

$0.85 ฿28.52

542.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 CHF 3.80

$0.36 ฿11.97

1208.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.65 CHF 7.80

$2.14 ฿71.9

350.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 CHF 6.05

$3.59 ฿121

108.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.65 ฿55.5

34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$1.57 ฿52.7

141.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.60

$1.19 ฿40.05

273.95%

Eggs

$7.42 CHF 6.00

$1.94 ฿65.1

282.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.28 CHF 21.24

$16.19 ฿545

62.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.80 CHF 23.29

$2.99 ฿101

863.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.50 CHF 35.98

$10.94 ฿368

306.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.93

$2.71 ฿91.2

33.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.68

$1.17 ฿39.27

77.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 CHF 2.30

$1.69 ฿56.8

68.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 CHF 5.34

$1.60 ฿54.0

313.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$1.38 ฿46.56

81.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$1.20 ฿40.47

96.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 2.03

$0.67 ฿22.51

274.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 CHF 1.14

$0.56 ฿18.74

151.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 CHF 8.95

$4.64 ฿156

138.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 CHF 11.11

$17.62 ฿593

-22.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CHF 1.68

$1.86 ฿62.6

11.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CHF 2.50

$3.30 ฿111

-6.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.96 CHF 3.20

$0.88 ฿29.70

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 CHF 80.0

$19.34 ฿651

411.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 CHF 6.25

$1.36 ฿45.92

468.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 CHF 2.76

$1.34 ฿45.00

154.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.2 CHF 54.4

$8.21 ฿276

718.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$1.22 ฿41.20

81.15%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.6K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

88.75%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.9K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

80.48%

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

$301 CHF 244

$70.7 ฿2,378

326.21%

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

$51.1 CHF 41.31

$14.04 ฿472

263.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CHF 46.47

$17.49 ฿589

228.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 71.9

$42.15 ฿1,418

110.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$22.64 CHF 18.30

$5.92 ฿199

282.43%

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

$2,534 CHF 2,049

$309 ฿10.4K

721.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.4K CHF 27.0K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

124.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 86.3

$55.8 ฿1,876

91.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CHF 55.5

$26.11 ฿879

162.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 121

$83.0 ฿2,793

79.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 CHF 148

$70.5 ฿2,371

159.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 CHF 1,370

$432 ฿14.5K

292.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 CHF 1,170

$239 ฿8,040

505.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,801 CHF 2,265

$822 ฿27.7K

240.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 CHF 1,970

$512 ฿17.2K

375.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.1K CHF 13.8K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

792.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K CHF 8,726

$1,467 ฿49.4K

635.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

-50.00%

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

Last update for Yens: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,694 in Yens versus $432 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 $147 in Yens versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $622 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

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

Yens costs about 302% 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 $5,189 per month in Yens and $1,292 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 $2,534 per month in Yens and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 156% more in Yens, 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 $861, than in Yens at $3,459. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yens it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $3,459 in Yens. 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, Yens makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.