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 $318 per month in Yona vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $683 per month in Yona vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,047 per month in Yona vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yona is about 62% 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

$20.39 $20.39

$2.03 ฿68.6

904.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 $78.7

$18.71 ฿633

320.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.82 $11.82

$7.84 ฿265

50.77%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$1.93 ฿65.1

205.70%

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

$1.94 $1.94

$0.83 ฿28.10

133.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.35 ฿11.84

340.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.22 ฿75.1

130.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$3.79 ฿128

86.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.6

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.93

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿546

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.28

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿55.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.26

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿41.00

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.72

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿599

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿109

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.12

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.57

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.74

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

$21.8K ฿736.0K

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$21.7K ฿733.4K

12.56%

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

$70.0 ฿2,366

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

$14.19 ฿480

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿589

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,408

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

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

$300 ฿10.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿491.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,872

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿890

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,868

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,383

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,947

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,248 $3,248

$586 ฿19.8K

454.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Yona: July 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 454% 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 $79.0 in Yona versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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 166% 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 $477 per month in Yona and $1,271 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 $318 in Yona and $847 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 $19.00 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 $318 in Yona and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yona costs $318 versus $847 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.