Cost of Living in Chiang Mai
Summary of cost of living in Chiang Mai, Thailand:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are £1,483.7 (฿66,274.5), excluding rent (using our estimator).
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are £404.8 (฿18,082.7), excluding rent.
- Chiang Mai is 54.6% less expensive than Columbus (excluding rent, see our cost of living index).
- Rent in Chiang Mai is, on average, 67.3% lower than in Columbus.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | £1.68 | |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | £14.55 | |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | £4.14 | |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | £1.79 | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | £2.85 | |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | £1.28 | |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | £0.51 | |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | £0.24 | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | £1.51 | |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | £0.97 | |
| White Rice (1 lb) | £0.45 | |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | £1.69 | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | £5.69 | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | £0.95 | |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | £3.14 | |
| Apples (1 lb) | £0.83 | |
| Bananas (1 lb) | £0.34 | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | £0.54 | |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | £0.51 | |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | £0.43 | |
| Onions (1 lb) | £0.37 | |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | £0.56 | |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | £0.38 | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | £13.42 | |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | £1.20 | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | £2.12 | |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | £3.20 | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | £0.67 | |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | £40.30 | |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | £0.90 | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | £0.67 | |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | £1.79 | |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | £1.10 | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | £15,671.48 | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | £20,158.64 | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | £46.90 | |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | £9.27 | |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | £15.10 | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | £28.26 | |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | £2.87 | |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | £4.93 | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | £588.85 | |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | £11,042.92 | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | £40.86 | |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | £18.70 | |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | £68.69 | |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | £54.29 | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | £348.80 | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | £228.01 | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | £692.72 | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | £413.16 | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | £135.44 | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | £101.12 | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | £443.11 | |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 5.57 | |
Prices in Chiang Mai
This city had 747 entries in the past 12 months by 54 different contributors.
Last update: 15 October 2026
Last update: 15 October 2026
Sources and References
Moving to Chiang Mai? Explore:
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
Nearby Cities:| Cost of Living in Omkoi | 110.49 miles |
| Cost of Living in Chiang Rai | 116.48 miles |
| Cost of Living in Mae Sot | 218.93 miles |
| Cost of Living in Phitsanulok | 242.68 miles |
This Page in Other Languages:
 DeutschLebenshaltungskosten in Chiang Mai
|
 PortuguêsCusto de Vida em Chiang Mai
|
 ItalianoCosto della vita a Chiang Mai
|
 FrançaisCoût de la vie à Chiang Mai
|
 EspañolCoste de vida en Chiang Mai
|
Salary Calculator:Got a job offer in Chiang Mai? Estimate your take-home pay with our Salary Calculator for Chiang Mai.
How do I find a rental unit prior to being there?
Your advice is much appreciated.
That said, if you are comfortable with the tropics, and with a third world country, and a place where few inhabitants speaks any language other than their native tongue, it seems a great place to retire!
And the person talking about the Rats.... HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO NEW YORK...hahaha.. Chiang Mai is a great place and i can't wait to go back...
For someone seeking to expatriate for retirement, the Quality of Life metric could be adjusted, since a retiree is not relying on local income. I assume the Quality of Life also takes into account the average income of local inhabitants, and if their purchasing power is low, this might not matter too much to a retiree from a more affluent country.
You might want to give some thought to that.
Thank you for everything!