Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Phuket 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Phuket is 33.6% higher than in Chiang Mai (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Phuket is 52.6% higher than in Chiang Mai | |
| Rent Prices in Phuket are 131.2% higher than in Chiang Mai | |
| Restaurant Prices in Phuket are 64.6% higher than in Chiang Mai | |
| Groceries Prices in Phuket are 21.1% higher than in Chiang Mai | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Phuket is 39.5% lower than in Chiang Mai | |
Restaurants | Chiang Mai Edit |
Phuket Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 65.00 ฿ | 150.00 ฿ | +130.8 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 600.00 ฿ | 1,500.00 ฿ | +150.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 250.00 ฿ | 280.00 ฿ | +12.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 70.00 ฿ | 80.00 ฿ | +14.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 120.00 ฿ | 120.00 ฿ | 0.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 63.81 ฿ | 97.69 ฿ | +53.1 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 26.31 ฿ | 23.05 ฿ | -12.4 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 10.95 ฿ | 12.18 ฿ | +11.2 % |
Markets | Chiang Mai Edit |
Phuket Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 206.84 ฿ | 270.12 ฿ | +30.6 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 46.75 ฿ | 54.34 ฿ | +16.2 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 17.25 ฿ | 32.52 ฿ | +88.5 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 63.58 ฿ | 73.93 ฿ | +16.3 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 234.96 ฿ | 289.08 ฿ | +23.0 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 45.39 ฿ | 54.43 ฿ | +19.9 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 161.34 ฿ | 195.85 ฿ | +21.4 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 39.65 ฿ | 48.76 ฿ | +23.0 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 17.73 ฿ | 24.51 ฿ | +38.2 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 24.63 ฿ | 34.55 ฿ | +40.3 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 22.91 ฿ | 30.09 ฿ | +31.3 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 19.96 ฿ | 23.13 ฿ | +15.9 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 17.33 ฿ | 21.68 ฿ | +25.1 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 22.33 ฿ | 32.33 ฿ | +44.8 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 17.50 ฿ | 16.07 ฿ | -8.2 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 600.00 ฿ | 700.00 ฿ | +16.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 58.81 ฿ | 58.81 ฿ | +0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 105.62 ฿ | 88.50 ฿ | -16.2 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 150.00 ฿ | 142.00 ฿ | -5.3 % |
Transportation | Chiang Mai Edit |
Phuket Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 30.00 ฿ | 45.00 ฿ | +50.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 617.39 ฿ | 377.06 ฿ | -38.9 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 47.50 ฿ | 100.00 ฿ | +110.5 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 68.40 ฿ | 56.33 ฿ | -17.6 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 260.00 ฿ | 450.00 ฿ | +73.1 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 155.07 ฿ | 163.31 ฿ | +5.3 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 700,000.00 ฿ | 900,000.00 ฿ | +28.6 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 834,888.89 ฿ | 952,500.00 ฿ | +14.1 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Chiang Mai Edit |
Phuket Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 2,274.09 ฿ | 3,984.91 ฿ | +75.2 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 452.21 ฿ | 444.19 ฿ | -1.8 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 576.19 ฿ | 602.33 ฿ | +4.5 % |
Sports And Leisure | Chiang Mai Edit |
Phuket Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 1,350.25 ฿ | 1,974.00 ฿ | +46.2 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 220.00 ฿ | 551.00 ฿ | +150.5 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 190.00 ฿ | 290.00 ฿ | +52.6 % |
Childcare | Chiang Mai Edit |
Phuket Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 9,888.89 ฿ | 22,583.33 ฿ | +128.4 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 480,000.00 ฿ | 515,084.06 ฿ | +7.3 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Chiang Mai Edit |
Phuket Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 1,800.00 ฿ | 1,900.00 ฿ | +5.6 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 858.33 ฿ | 1,127.14 ฿ | +31.3 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 2,700.00 ฿ | 3,725.00 ฿ | +38.0 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 2,300.00 ฿ | 2,750.00 ฿ | +19.6 % |
Rent Per Month | Chiang Mai Edit |
Phuket Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 13,980.53 ฿ | 19,970.59 ฿ | +42.8 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 7,731.25 ฿ | 14,307.69 ฿ | +85.1 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 26,388.89 ฿ | 66,666.67 ฿ | +152.6 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 16,461.54 ฿ | 48,333.33 ฿ | +193.6 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Chiang Mai Edit |
Phuket Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 6,224.45 ฿ | 12,774.06 ฿ | +105.2 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 3,437.38 ฿ | 8,825.72 ฿ | +156.8 % |
Salaries And Financing | Chiang Mai Edit |
Phuket Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 24,722.22 ฿ | 22,831.94 ฿ | -7.6 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 5.00 | 5.33 | +6.7 % |
| Last update: | 21 June 2025 | 21 June 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 64 | 52 |
Moving to Phuket? Explore:
Cities near Chiang Mai: | Cost of Living in Chiang Rai | 116.48 miles |
| Cost of Living in Phitsanulok | 242.68 miles |
Cities near Phuket: | Cost of Living in Surat Thani | 110.10 miles |
| Cost of Living in Koh Samui | 210.76 miles |