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 $3,470 per month in Yens vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,210 per month in Yens vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,951 per month in Yens vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yens costs about 272% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Yens sits 154% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.97 CHF 23.81

$2.08 ฿69.3

1292.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 100

$19.61 ฿653

522.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.03 CHF 13.17

$5.67 ฿189

182.72%

Cappuccino

$6.10 CHF 5.01

$1.81 ฿60.1

237.02%

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

$5.04 CHF 4.14

$0.77 ฿25.58

554.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 CHF 3.38

$0.35 ฿11.49

1074.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.18 CHF 7.55

$2.21 ฿73.7

315.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 CHF 6.71

$3.79 ฿126

115.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.84

$2.05 ฿68.2

9.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CHF 2.52

$1.51 ฿50.4

103.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.62

$1.40 ฿46.57

127.14%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 6.06

$2.26 ฿75.2

226.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.52 CHF 20.15

$16.19 ฿539

51.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.06 CHF 23.06

$2.90 ฿96.4

867.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.21 CHF 32.22

$9.42 ฿314

316.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.96

$2.68 ฿89.2

34.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.67

$1.09 ฿36.28

86.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.17

$1.62 ฿53.8

62.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 CHF 3.72

$1.46 ฿48.61

210.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 CHF 1.40

$1.28 ฿42.54

32.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CHF 1.64

$1.06 ฿35.21

87.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 CHF 1.69

$0.72 ฿23.88

184.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 CHF 1.08

$0.53 ฿17.51

147.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 CHF 9.27

$4.23 ฿141

166.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CHF 10.21

$18.29 ฿609

-32.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.93

$1.63 ฿54.3

44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.50

$2.90 ฿96.6

4.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.42 CHF 3.64

$0.88 ฿29.24

402.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.3 CHF 81.6

$53.8 ฿1,790

84.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 CHF 6.46

$1.17 ฿39.04

571.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.65 CHF 3.82

$0.58 ฿19.25

701.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.8 CHF 71.3

$2.39 ฿79.4

3532.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 CHF 1.95

$1.45 ฿48.28

63.45%

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

$44.6K CHF 36.7K

$21.0K ฿699.5K

112.37%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.4K

$26.4K ฿879.7K

49.24%

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

$283 CHF 233

$63.7 ฿2,119

344.73%

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

$28.77 CHF 23.64

$12.89 ฿429

123.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CHF 42.23

$20.52 ฿683

150.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.7 CHF 76.2

$39.02 ฿1,299

137.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.86 CHF 37.68

$3.92 ฿130

1069.90%

Cinema Ticket

$24.87 CHF 20.43

$6.58 ฿219

277.96%

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

$2,953 CHF 2,427

$784 ฿26.1K

276.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K CHF 26.0K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

115.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 119

$55.1 ฿1,835

162.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.9 CHF 50.9

$24.74 ฿824

150.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 CHF 116

$94.1 ฿3,133

50.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 CHF 167

$74.0 ฿2,462

174.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 CHF 1,457

$490 ฿16.3K

261.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 CHF 1,215

$288 ฿9,594

413.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CHF 2,404

$891 ฿29.7K

228.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 CHF 2,093

$521 ฿17.3K

388.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K CHF 13.7K

$1,974 ฿65.7K

743.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

$1,444 ฿48.1K

746.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿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 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,773 in Yens versus $490 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 $122 in Yens versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $566 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

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

Yens costs about 272% 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 $5,205 per month in Yens and $1,398 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 $2,953 per month in Yens and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 135% 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 $932, than in Yens at $3,470. 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 $932 versus $3,470 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.