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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $997 per month in Yilan vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,701 per month in Yilan vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,405 per month in Yilan vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yilan costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Yilan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Yilan 27% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.36 NT$107

$2.08 ฿69.2

61.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 NT$950

$19.64 ฿651

52.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 NT$146

$5.65 ฿188

-18.23%

Cappuccino

$2.82 NT$89.4

$1.81 ฿59.9

55.80%

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

$1.00 NT$31.61

$0.71 ฿23.66

40.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$21.74

$0.32 ฿10.48

115.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 NT$45.93

$2.24 ฿74.2

-35.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 NT$89.3

$3.63 ฿121

-22.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 NT$96.7

$1.96 ฿65.0

55.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 NT$56.0

$1.50 ฿49.83

18.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 NT$85.4

$1.34 ฿44.32

100.75%

Eggs

$2.51 NT$79.7

$2.26 ฿75.1

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.65 NT$909

$16.26 ฿539

76.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 NT$246

$2.95 ฿98.0

162.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.99 NT$539

$9.94 ฿330

70.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 NT$139

$2.57 ฿85.3

70.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.2

$1.06 ฿35.04

84.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 NT$58.8

$1.61 ฿53.5

14.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NT$69.2

$1.52 ฿50.4

43.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 NT$37.58

$1.27 ฿42.14

-7.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NT$60.3

$1.07 ฿35.37

77.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 NT$73.5

$0.72 ฿23.89

222.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.66

$0.51 ฿16.87

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 NT$122

$4.19 ฿139

-8.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 NT$502

$17.87 ฿593

-11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 NT$45.32

$1.69 ฿56.2

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 NT$80.9

$2.84 ฿94.1

-10.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 NT$23.95

$0.93 ฿30.70

-19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.87 NT$1,138

$53.9 ฿1,787

-33.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 NT$83.1

$1.23 ฿40.95

113.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 NT$30.83

$0.58 ฿19.13

67.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 NT$300

$2.42 ฿80.4

290.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.61

$1.41 ฿46.84

-29.08%

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

$25.5K NT$808.6K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

18.86%

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

$19.5K NT$617.3K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-28.81%

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

$47.65 NT$1,512

$63.7 ฿2,112

-25.16%

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

$15.19 NT$482

$12.85 ฿426

18.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.13 NT$670

$20.22 ฿671

4.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.85 NT$1,010

$38.74 ฿1,285

-17.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 NT$247

$6.74 ฿223

15.43%

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

$341 NT$10.8K

$778 ฿25.8K

-56.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K NT$552.3K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

19.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 NT$1,726

$54.3 ฿1,801

0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.05 NT$985

$25.45 ฿844

22.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 NT$2,709

$94.3 ฿3,129

-9.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.3 NT$1,976

$73.4 ฿2,436

-15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 NT$8,708

$490 ฿16.2K

-43.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 NT$7,905

$289 ฿9,596

-13.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 NT$30.9K

$894 ฿29.6K

9.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 NT$23.6K

$517 ฿17.1K

43.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,183 NT$227.9K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

267.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,078 NT$161.1K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

243.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 NT$32.0K

$602 ฿20.0K

67.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

5.57

-59.25%

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

Last update for Yilan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $274 in Yilan 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.

Salaries run about 68% higher in Yilan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Yilan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $240 – 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

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

Yilan costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,495 per month in Yilan and $1,421 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 $341 per month in Yilan and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Yilan, 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 $947, than in Yilan at $997. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yilan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $997 in Yilan. 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, Yilan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.