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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $315 per month in Yona vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $677 per month in Yona vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,039 per month in Yona vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yona is about 63% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Yona and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Yona 76% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.11 $20.11

$1.95 ฿62.8

931.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$18.43 ฿594

330.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 $11.77

$7.50 ฿241

56.93%

Cappuccino

$6.09 $6.09

$1.93 ฿62.3

215.54%

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

$1.96 $1.96

$0.78 ฿25.08

151.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.32 ฿10.42

371.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.15 ฿69.2

127.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 $7.02

$3.71 ฿120

89.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

10.81%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

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

$13.97 ฿450

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

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

$299 ฿9,640

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,207 $3,207

$628 ฿20.2K

410.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Yona: April 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Yona versus $435 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 411% higher in Yona, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Yona versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $0 in Yona vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Yona wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 168% more than Yona, 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 $473 per month in Yona and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $315 in Yona and $845 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Yona and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $315 in Yona and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yona costs $315 versus $845 in Chiang Mai. 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 Yona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.