Chiang Mai vs Kaohsiung Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Kaohsiung (Taiwan) · Overall index 38.1
Summary
- Overall, Kaohsiung is 47% more expensive than Chiang Mai.
- Rent in Kaohsiung is 65% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
- Transport in Kaohsiung is 50% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Kaohsiung | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +65% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $744 | +56% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $507 | +56% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $1,341 | +67% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $978 | +80% |
| Groceries | +45% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $0.68 | +28% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $2.19 | +52% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $2.9 | +73% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $2.34 | +31% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $7.94 | +66% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $7.18 | +48% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $9.1 | +35% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $3.01 | +41% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $0.99 | +25% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $2.39 | +31% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $2.81 | +27% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $1.6 | +50% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $1.59 | +69% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $1.55 | +67% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $1.21 | +39% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $8.1 | +43% |
| Transport | +50% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $1.08 | +52% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $57.2 | +50% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $1.97 | +77% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $0.8 | +43% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.38 | +31% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $12,638 | +49% |
| Dining out | +40% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $10.7 | +53% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $48.7 | +22% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $4.98 | +29% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $2.63 | +62% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $1.14 | +27% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $3.32 | +38% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $3.71 | +41% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $0.97 | +52% |
| Telecom | +40% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $33 | +33% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $44 | +65% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.19 | +27% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $8.27 | +36% |
| Utilities & household | +47% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $88.5 | +31% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.13 | +63% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $2.78 | +76% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $0.78 | +39% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $12.9 | +61% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $39.9 | +23% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $9.07 | +42% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $15.5 | +46% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $14.3 | +48% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $1,190 | +47% |
3,479 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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