Phnom Penh vs Chiang Mai Cost of Living
Phnom Penh (Cambodia) · Overall index 26.7 — Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0
Summary
- Overall, Chiang Mai is 3% cheaper than Phnom Penh.
- Rent in Chiang Mai is 16% cheaper than in Phnom Penh.
- Telecom in Chiang Mai is 12% cheaper than in Phnom Penh.
| Item | Phnom Penh | Chiang Mai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -16% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $502 | $477 | -5% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $348 | $325 | -7% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,130 | $805 | -29% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $661 | $542 | -18% |
| Groceries | 0% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.47 | $0.53 | +13% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.46 | $1.44 | -1% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.67 | $1.68 | +1% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.81 | $1.78 | -2% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.66 | $4.79 | +3% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $5.28 | $4.84 | -8% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.79 | $6.72 | -1% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.03 | $2.14 | +5% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.72 | $0.79 | +10% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.83 | $1.82 | -1% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.02 | $2.21 | +9% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.14 | $1.07 | -6% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.09 | $0.94 | -14% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.95 | $0.93 | -2% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.93 | $0.87 | -6% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.51 | $5.67 | +3% |
| Transport | +3% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.86 | $0.71 | -17% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $31.5 | $38.2 | +21% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.03 | $1.11 | +8% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.52 | $0.56 | +8% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.26 | $0.29 | +12% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,848 | $8,510 | -4% |
| Dining out | +8% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.96 | $6.98 | 0% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $32.4 | $40 | +23% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.63 | $3.87 | +7% |
| Cappuccino | $1.61 | $1.62 | +1% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.75 | $0.9 | +20% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.26 | $2.41 | +7% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.57 | $2.63 | +2% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.58 | $0.64 | +10% |
| Telecom | -12% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $28.7 | $24.9 | -13% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $33.2 | $26.6 | -20% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.14 | $0.15 | +7% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $7.3 | $6.1 | -16% |
| Utilities & household | 0% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $57.3 | $67.6 | +18% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.08 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.64 | $1.58 | -4% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.55 | $0.56 | +2% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $9.35 | $8.03 | -14% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $31.2 | $32.5 | +4% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $5.87 | $6.4 | +9% |
| Men's haircut | $12.9 | $10.6 | -18% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.47 | $9.66 | +2% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $747 | $810 | +8% |
3,476 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs