Chiang Mai vs Phuket - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chiang Mai Phuket
🚶 Cost of living one person
$659
$870
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$1768
$2965
🏠 One person rent
$288
$484
🏘️ Family rent
$548
$1625
🍽️ Food expenses
$216
$270
🚐 Transport expenses
$83.1
$28.4
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$529
$545
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Good
✈️ Airport proximity
3 km
27 km
🎓 Higher education
52
7
😀 Quality of life
66
55
🏙️ Population
1.2M
77.6K

The cost of living in Chiang Mai is 24% less expensive than in Phuket. Cities ranked 7120th and 6130th ($659 vs $870) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 12th and 2nd in Thailand.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.8 months in Chiang Mai compared to 0.6 months in Phuket. Ranked 2nd vs 6th best cities to live in Thailand, and 4343rd vs 5986th among the best cities to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Chiang Mai vs Phuket infographic

Share this infographic!

Prices in Chiang Mai vs Phuket

Prices for goods and services in Chiang Mai and Phuket are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Chiang Mai Phuket
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$1.74
$4.16
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$16.6
$33.7
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.5
$6.95
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.24
$2.74
 Cappuccino
$1.51
$2.3
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.54
$0.76
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$353
$461
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$207
$388
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$718
$1732
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$419
$1452
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$33.1
$66.5
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$50.4
$102
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$18.7
$14.5
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.38%
3.84%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1937
$3141
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1109
$2078
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.83
$1.11
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$22.1
$10.7
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$11.1
$10.9
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.16
$1.2
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.59
$1.5
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.31
$1.5
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.1
$1.35
🥚 Eggs, x12
$1.87
$2.03
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$16.6
$19.5
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.38
$2.75
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.5
$9.48
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.55
$3
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.18
$1
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.49
$1.69
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.65
$1.47
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.32
$1.22
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.06
$1.04
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$0.3
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.24
$1.16
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$13.9
$16.8
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.75
$1.58
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.93
$3.98
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$1.21
$3
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.88
$2.21
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.16
$1.22
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.9
$1.31
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$35.6
$57.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$5.71
$8.42
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$18
$16
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.36
$4.59
👖 Brand Jeans
$50.3
$47.9
👟 Brand Sneakers
$82.6
$110
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$437
$672
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$10951
$13219

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

More cities to compare

Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Chiang Mai

Distance City Cost of living
86 km or 53 mi Pai
$577
153 km or 95 mi Chiang Rai
$462
255 km or 158 mi Hpa-an
$605
258 km or 160 mi Phitsanulok
$496
294 km or 183 mi Mawlamyine
$566
306 km or 190 mi Taunggyi
$668
308 km or 191 mi Bago
$710
317 km or 197 mi Naypyidaw
$706
353 km or 219 mi Luang Prabang
$1212
363 km or 226 mi Nakhon Sawan
$615
365 km or 227 mi Vang Vieng
$1195
373 km or 232 mi Yangon
$815
392 km or 244 mi Vientiane
$1233
404 km or 251 mi Jinghong
$588
426 km or 265 mi Udon Thani
$500
466 km or 289 mi Mandalay
$715
485 km or 301 mi Khon Kaen
$532
489 km or 304 mi Pu'er
$614
503 km or 313 mi Pathein
$709
537 km or 334 mi Nakhon Ratchasima
$518
545 km or 339 mi Monywa
$669
551 km or 342 mi Tha Khlong
$617
561 km or 349 mi Rangsit
$594
564 km or 351 mi Nakhon Pathom
$481
566 km or 352 mi Pak Kret
$677
571 km or 355 mi Nonthaburi
$704
578 km or 359 mi Lincang
$615
584 km or 363 mi Bangkok
$902
597 km or 371 mi Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$714
597 km or 371 mi Lat Luang
$716
634 km or 394 mi Thakhek
$1184
641 km or 398 mi Sa Pa
$543
656 km or 407 mi Sittwe
$656
666 km or 414 mi Chaophraya Surasak
$647
667 km or 415 mi Laem Chabang
$648
681 km or 423 mi Pattaya
$665
685 km or 426 mi Nong Prue
$653
699 km or 435 mi Hua Hin
$614
704 km or 438 mi Baoshan
$618
707 km or 439 mi Vinh
$575

Cities near Phuket

Distance City Cost of living
48 km or 30 mi Ao Nang
$653
60 km or 38 mi Krabi
$739
76 km or 47 mi Ko Lanta
$697
173 km or 107 mi Surat Thani
$554
183 km or 114 mi Nakhon Si Thammarat
$642
185 km or 115 mi Ko Lipe
$650
231 km or 143 mi Langkawi
$496
248 km or 154 mi Hat Yai
$520
248 km or 154 mi Ko Samui
$642
256 km or 159 mi Kangar
$487
269 km or 167 mi Ko Pha-ngan
$661
289 km or 180 mi Ko Tao
$702
293 km or 182 mi Alor Setar
$453
331 km or 206 mi Lhokseumawe
$443
339 km or 211 mi Sungai Petani
$544
348 km or 216 mi George Town
$566
352 km or 219 mi Butterworth
$578
384 km or 238 mi Langsa
$472
425 km or 264 mi Taiping
$638
428 km or 266 mi Banda Aceh
$403
468 km or 291 mi Kota Bharu
$455
470 km or 292 mi Ipoh
$550
470 km or 292 mi Medan
$500
477 km or 296 mi Binjai
$483
507 km or 315 mi Myeik
$571
514 km or 319 mi Tebing Tinggi
$485
517 km or 321 mi Teluk Intan
$565
548 km or 340 mi Hua Hin
$614
553 km or 344 mi Pematangsiantar
$499
569 km or 353 mi Tanjungbalai
$515
596 km or 370 mi Kuala Terengganu
$465
625 km or 388 mi Nong Prue
$653
625 km or 389 mi Pattaya
$665
637 km or 396 mi Klang
$553
637 km or 396 mi Shah Alam
$582
638 km or 396 mi Sihanoukville
$755
638 km or 396 mi Ko Chang
$614
639 km or 397 mi Petaling Jaya
$645
641 km or 398 mi Laem Chabang
$648
641 km or 398 mi Kuala Lumpur
$743