Shenzhen vs Chiang Mai Cost of Living
Shenzhen (China) · Overall index 42.7 — Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0
Summary
- Overall, Chiang Mai is 39% cheaper than Shenzhen.
- Rent in Chiang Mai is 58% cheaper than in Shenzhen.
- Transport in Chiang Mai is 41% cheaper than in Shenzhen.
| Item | Shenzhen | Chiang Mai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -58% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,185 | $477 | -60% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $709 | $325 | -54% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,871 | $805 | -57% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,378 | $542 | -61% |
| Groceries | -34% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.69 | $0.53 | -23% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.09 | $1.44 | -31% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.01 | $1.68 | -44% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.96 | $1.78 | -40% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.47 | $4.79 | -36% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $7.93 | $4.84 | -39% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $11.5 | $6.72 | -42% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.14 | $2.14 | -32% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.06 | $0.79 | -25% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.37 | $1.82 | -23% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.07 | $2.21 | -28% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.74 | $1.07 | -39% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.72 | $0.94 | -45% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.34 | $0.93 | -31% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.28 | $0.87 | -32% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.84 | $5.67 | -28% |
| Transport | -41% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.29 | $0.71 | -45% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $60.1 | $38.2 | -36% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.92 | $1.11 | -42% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.85 | $0.56 | -34% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.51 | $0.29 | -43% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $14,764 | $8,510 | -42% |
| Dining out | -35% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $10.5 | $6.98 | -34% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $62 | $40 | -35% |
| Fast food combo meal | $5.39 | $3.87 | -28% |
| Cappuccino | $2.52 | $1.62 | -36% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.35 | $0.9 | -33% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.34 | $2.41 | -28% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.6 | $2.63 | -43% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.1 | $0.64 | -42% |
| Telecom | -32% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $34.2 | $24.9 | -27% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $45.9 | $26.6 | -42% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.19 | $0.15 | -21% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $9.43 | $6.1 | -35% |
| Utilities & household | -34% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $102 | $67.6 | -34% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.12 | $0.08 | -33% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.58 | $1.58 | -39% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.84 | $0.56 | -33% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $12.8 | $8.03 | -37% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $43.6 | $32.5 | -25% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.72 | $6.4 | -34% |
| Men's haircut | $16.4 | $10.6 | -35% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $15.5 | $9.66 | -38% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,090 | $810 | -26% |
3,505 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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