Shanghai vs Chiang Mai Cost of Living
Shanghai (China) · Overall index 47.2 — Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0
Summary
- Overall, Chiang Mai is 45% cheaper than Shanghai.
- Rent in Chiang Mai is 63% cheaper than in Shanghai.
- Dining out in Chiang Mai is 43% cheaper than in Shanghai.
| Item | Shanghai | Chiang Mai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -63% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,123 | $477 | -58% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $819 | $325 | -60% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,667 | $805 | -70% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,498 | $542 | -64% |
| Groceries | -42% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.89 | $0.53 | -40% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.39 | $1.44 | -40% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.36 | $1.68 | -50% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.12 | $1.78 | -43% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $8.28 | $4.79 | -42% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $8 | $4.84 | -39% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $12.9 | $6.72 | -48% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.55 | $2.14 | -40% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.42 | $0.79 | -44% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.11 | $1.82 | -41% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.04 | $2.21 | -27% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.83 | $1.07 | -42% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.6 | $0.94 | -41% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.6 | $0.93 | -42% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.62 | $0.87 | -46% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $9.46 | $5.67 | -40% |
| Transport | -42% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.25 | $0.71 | -43% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $69.5 | $38.2 | -45% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.95 | $1.11 | -43% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.91 | $0.56 | -38% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.52 | $0.29 | -44% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $13,544 | $8,510 | -37% |
| Dining out | -43% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.2 | $6.98 | -38% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $71.4 | $40 | -44% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.06 | $3.87 | -36% |
| Cappuccino | $3.29 | $1.62 | -51% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.53 | $0.9 | -41% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.76 | $2.41 | -36% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.63 | $2.63 | -43% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.27 | $0.64 | -50% |
| Telecom | -36% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $37.8 | $24.9 | -34% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $42.3 | $26.6 | -37% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.21 | $0.15 | -29% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.7 | $6.1 | -43% |
| Utilities & household | -38% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $113 | $67.6 | -40% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.14 | $0.08 | -43% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.88 | $1.58 | -45% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.81 | $0.56 | -31% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $13.2 | $8.03 | -39% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $49.5 | $32.5 | -34% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $8.96 | $6.4 | -29% |
| Men's haircut | $20.7 | $10.6 | -49% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $15.8 | $9.66 | -39% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,193 | $810 | -32% |
3,290 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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