Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhongshan and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Zhongshan: $695 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Zhongshan
Learn more

Zhongshan Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

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Zhongshan

🇨🇳 China

$695

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zhongshan and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zhongshan and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $695 per month in Zhongshan vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zhongshan $695
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $1,110 per month in Zhongshan vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zhongshan $1,110
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $1,525 per month in Zhongshan vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zhongshan $1,525
Chiang Mai $1,903

Zhongshan is about 25% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Zhongshan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zhongshan 49% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ¥20.14

$2.29 ฿76.5

31.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.23 ¥162

$19.64 ฿656

23.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 ¥29.76

$5.61 ฿188

-20.68%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ¥18.91

$1.66 ฿55.6

70.48%

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

$0.47 ¥3.11

$0.70 ฿23.40

-32.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.91

$0.31 ฿10.24

-6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ¥5.13

$2.41 ฿80.4

-68.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥12.05

$3.71 ฿124

-51.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥10.26

$1.95 ฿65.3

-21.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥10.99

$1.41 ฿47.03

16.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$1.31 ฿43.62

-48.09%

Eggs

$1.24 ¥8.29

$2.18 ฿72.9

-43.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.87 ¥140

$16.65 ฿556

25.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 ¥18.72

$2.76 ฿92.2

1.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 ¥90.5

$9.11 ฿304

48.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ¥14.34

$2.39 ฿80.0

-10.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.20

$1.03 ฿34.26

4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$1.63 ฿54.4

-58.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.76

$1.50 ฿50.0

-2.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$1.29 ฿43.13

-55.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.84

$1.11 ฿37.03

-35.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ¥2.86

$0.72 ฿24.08

-40.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.56

$0.53 ฿17.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 ¥19.58

$4.31 ฿144

-32.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 ¥78.9

$17.95 ฿600

-34.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.62

$1.58 ฿52.9

-56.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.12

$2.84 ฿95.0

-36.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.91

$0.86 ฿28.86

-66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.11 ¥101

$53.3 ฿1,780

-71.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ¥9.68

$1.21 ฿40.29

19.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.57 ฿18.99

-28.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.01 ¥46.88

$2.35 ฿78.6

198.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ¥8.70

$1.44 ฿47.96

-9.72%

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

$19.6K ¥131.2K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

-5.31%

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

$18.2K ¥121.6K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

-32.12%

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

$40.99 ¥274

$62.3 ฿2,083

-34.24%

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

$10.15 ¥67.9

$12.11 ฿405

-16.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.59 ¥84.2

$19.94 ฿666

-36.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.0 ¥448

$37.07 ฿1,239

80.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.62 ¥50.9

$3.78 ฿126

101.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 ¥38.88

$6.50 ฿217

-10.62%

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

$317 ¥2,117

$793 ฿26.5K

-60.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥89.4K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

-9.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.42 ¥324

$53.7 ฿1,796

-9.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.64 ¥265

$24.62 ฿823

61.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.9 ¥401

$90.9 ฿3,036

-34.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.5 ¥505

$71.1 ฿2,378

6.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$210 ¥1,407

$455 ฿15.2K

-53.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 ¥834

$298 ฿9,954

-58.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 ¥2,517

$908 ฿30.4K

-58.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 ¥1,453

$554 ฿18.5K

-60.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,531 ¥16.9K

$1,931 ฿64.5K

31.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,509 ¥10.1K

$1,445 ฿48.3K

4.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$956 ¥6,391

$591 ฿19.7K

61.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

5.57

-39.86%

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

Last update for Zhongshan: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Zhongshan

$226 32.5%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 4.3% $9.6

Accommodation & Living

Zhongshan

$125 17.9%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 139% $173

Clothing & Footwear

Zhongshan

$101 14.5%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 7.5% $7.6

Eating Out

Zhongshan

$82 11.8%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 3.9% $3.2

Sport & Entertainment

Zhongshan

$79 11.3%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 36.4% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zhongshan

$64 9.2%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 48.1% $31

Getting Around

Zhongshan

$20 2.8%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 208% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $210 in Zhongshan versus $455 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 62% higher in Zhongshan, 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 $24.00 in Zhongshan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Zhongshan vs $235 in Chiang Mai – so Zhongshan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Zhongshan

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

08:18 8:18 AM

07:18 7:18 AM

1 h behind Zhongshan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,209,600

127,240

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Zhongshan Chiang Mai 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Zhongshan
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Zhongshan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,043 per month in Zhongshan and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhongshan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $317 per month in Zhongshan and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zhongshan, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Zhongshan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zhongshan costs $695 versus $925 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 Zhongshan. 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.