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 $3,342 per month in Yens vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,223 per month in Yens vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,103 per month in Yens vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yens costs about 252% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Yens sits 142% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.47 CHF 23.24

$2.10 ฿69.3

1255.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 CHF 97.7

$19.84 ฿656

503.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.23 CHF 13.24

$5.79 ฿191

180.31%

Cappuccino

$6.26 CHF 5.11

$1.83 ฿60.4

242.08%

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

$5.32 CHF 4.34

$0.78 ฿25.61

582.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 CHF 3.47

$0.31 ฿10.37

1274.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.09 CHF 7.42

$2.34 ฿77.2

288.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 CHF 6.59

$3.70 ฿122

118.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$2.03 ฿67.1

7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 CHF 2.48

$1.60 ฿52.7

90.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CHF 2.74

$1.42 ฿46.75

135.92%

Eggs

$7.53 CHF 6.15

$2.18 ฿71.9

245.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.11 CHF 20.49

$15.91 ฿526

57.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.40 CHF 23.18

$3.07 ฿102

825.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.60 CHF 32.32

$9.87 ฿326

301.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.99

$2.63 ฿86.8

39.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.66

$1.10 ฿36.19

84.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 CHF 2.09

$1.63 ฿53.8

57.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 CHF 3.72

$1.53 ฿50.6

197.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 CHF 1.35

$1.24 ฿41.13

33.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.66

$1.13 ฿37.37

79.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 CHF 1.71

$0.74 ฿24.38

182.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.13

$0.50 ฿16.48

176.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 CHF 9.04

$4.28 ฿141

158.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.17 CHF 9.93

$17.97 ฿594

-32.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.82

$1.70 ฿56.1

31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CHF 2.50

$2.90 ฿95.7

5.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.13 CHF 4.19

$0.94 ฿31.13

445.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 89.9

$55.3 ฿1,827

99.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 CHF 6.46

$1.23 ฿40.76

543.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.67 CHF 3.81

$0.53 ฿17.66

781.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.1 CHF 69.4

$2.40 ฿79.3

3445.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.87

$1.44 ฿47.55

59.03%

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

$43.3K CHF 35.3K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

104.22%

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

$40.2K CHF 32.8K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

47.41%

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

$284 CHF 232

$64.9 ฿2,145

336.96%

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

$28.88 CHF 23.57

$13.35 ฿441

116.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CHF 41.93

$20.83 ฿688

146.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.8 CHF 70.1

$40.42 ฿1,336

112.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.6 CHF 41.27

$3.95 ฿131

1180.25%

Cinema Ticket

$24.74 CHF 20.19

$6.71 ฿222

268.70%

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

$2,954 CHF 2,410

$787 ฿26.0K

275.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.9K CHF 25.2K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

104.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 118

$56.2 ฿1,858

156.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.9 CHF 51.4

$24.95 ฿824

152.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 CHF 115

$92.7 ฿3,063

51.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 162

$75.1 ฿2,482

163.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 CHF 1,209

$484 ฿16.0K

206.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,300 CHF 1,061

$287 ฿9,491

352.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 CHF 2,043

$910 ฿30.1K

175.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,401 CHF 1,959

$531 ฿17.5K

352.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.7K CHF 12.0K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

640.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K CHF 8,609

$1,451 ฿47.9K

626.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

5.57

-64.99%

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

Last update for Yens: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,482 in Yens versus $484 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 $120 in Yens versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $571 vs $242 – 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 252% 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 $5,014 per month in Yens and $1,426 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 $2,954 per month in Yens and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 136% 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 $950, than in Yens at $3,342. 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 $950 versus $3,342 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.