Chiang Mai vs Chengdu Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Chengdu (China) · Overall index 33.6
Summary
- Overall, Chengdu is 29% more expensive than Chiang Mai.
- Rent in Chengdu is 50% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
- Transport in Chengdu is 31% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Chengdu | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +50% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $643 | +35% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $495 | +52% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $1,315 | +63% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $805 | +49% |
| Groceries | +26% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $0.55 | +4% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $2 | +39% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $2.14 | +27% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $1.99 | +12% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $5.75 | +20% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $6.46 | +33% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $7.84 | +17% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $2.31 | +8% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $1.01 | +28% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $2.21 | +21% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $2.67 | +21% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $1.45 | +36% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $1.35 | +44% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $1.33 | +43% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $1.17 | +34% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $7.23 | +28% |
| Transport | +31% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $1.05 | +48% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $42.4 | +11% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $1.56 | +41% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $0.75 | +34% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.39 | +34% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $10,179 | +20% |
| Dining out | +22% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $9.02 | +29% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $50.3 | +26% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $4.32 | +12% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $2.01 | +24% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $0.96 | +7% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $2.9 | +20% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $3.18 | +21% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $0.87 | +36% |
| Telecom | +29% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $33.9 | +36% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $32.1 | +21% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.2 | +33% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $7.74 | +27% |
| Utilities & household | +25% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $77.7 | +15% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.1 | +25% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $2.02 | +28% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $0.71 | +27% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $10.5 | +31% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $38.9 | +20% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $7.45 | +16% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $15.1 | +42% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $12.3 | +27% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $1,005 | +24% |
3,379 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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