Cost Of Living For a Student in Chiang Mai 2024
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: THB
Average monthly spending for students in Chiang Mai
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Chiang Mai?
Students in Chiang Mai spend around 50,000 THB per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 7,600 THB or as high as 330,000 THB. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Chiang Mai
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
| 340 THB | 520 THB | 1,000 THB |
Fine dining meal for one
| 690 THB | 1,000 THB | 4,100 THB |
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
| 500 THB | 670 THB | 1,300 THB |
Average car 1-day rental
| 530 THB | 710 THB | 1,100 THB |
Average car price
| 250,000 THB | 500,000 THB | 670,000 THB |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
| 710 THB | 1,100 THB | 2,100 THB |
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
| 300 THB | 2,000 THB | 13,000 THB |
Internet and cable
| 500 THB | 1,000 THB | 1,300 THB |
Mobile phone charges
| 400 THB | 670 THB | 2,000 THB |
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
| 850 THB | 1,100 THB | 2,100 THB |
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
| 620 THB | 880 THB | 1,300 THB |
Woman dress
| 590 THB | 810 THB | 2,600 THB |
Woman shoes
| 560 THB | 760 THB | 1,800 THB |
Men's shoes
| 480 THB | 590 THB | 1,200 THB |
Men suit
| 530 THB | 660 THB | 3,500 THB |
Regular t-shirt
| 260 THB | 350 THB | 1,100 THB |
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 8,800 THB | 13,000 THB | 35,000 THB |
1-bedroom apartment
| 13,000 THB | 21,000 THB | 53,000 THB |
2-bedroom apartment
| 18,000 THB | 26,000 THB | 71,000 THB |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 1.8M THB | 2.6M THB | 5.3M THB |
1-bedroom apartment
| 2.1M THB | 3.5M THB | 13M THB |
2-bedroom apartment
| $98,000 | $300,000 | $590,000 |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 10,000 THB | 13,000 THB | 17,000 THB |
Double Bed
| 6,700 THB | 10,000 THB | 13,000 THB |
Single Bed
| 5,900 THB | 7,800 THB | 10,000 THB |
Living Room
| 11,000 THB | 14,000 THB | 50,000 THB |
Dining Table
| 5,000 THB | 6,700 THB | 13,000 THB |
Sofa or Couch
| 6,700 THB | 9,200 THB | 20,000 THB |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 6,700 THB | 10,000 THB | 20,000 THB |
Fridge or Freezer
| 5,900 THB | 9,200 THB | 13,000 THB |
Washing Machine
| 7,800 THB | 11,000 THB | 20,000 THB |
Stove or Cooker
| 7,200 THB | 9,200 THB | 13,000 THB |
Mobile Phone
| 8,400 THB | 10,000 THB | 14,000 THB |
Laptop or Computer
| 9,200 THB | 11,000 THB | 20,000 THB |
How do students spend their money in Chiang Mai?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost21%
21% of total expenses on average (16% to 27%)
| LOW | $51 1,800 THB |
| AVERAGE | $330 12,000 THB |
| HIGH | $2,200 79,000 THB |
| Per Month |
Students in Chiang Mai typically spend from 16% to 27% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 21% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 12,000 THB with expenditure ranging from 1,800 THB to 79,000 THB. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities5%
5% of total expenses on average (3% to 9%)
| LOW | $8.5 300 THB |
| AVERAGE | $55 2,000 THB |
| HIGH | $370 13,000 THB |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Chiang Mai ranges from 3% to 9% of total expenses with 5% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 2,000 THB with 300 THB and 13,000 THB being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel5%
5% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $15 530 THB |
| AVERAGE | $97 3,500 THB |
| HIGH | $640 23,000 THB |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 530 THB to 23,000 THB in a month on commuting with 3,500 THB being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 5% of total spending on average but can go as low as 5% or as high as 11%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost22%
22% of total expenses on average (16% to 26%)
| LOW | $43 1,500 THB |
| AVERAGE | $280 9,900 THB |
| HIGH | $1,800 66,000 THB |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Chiang Mai is 9,900 THB. The cost of groceries can range between 1,500 THB to 66,000 THB. Students spend on average about 22% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 16% and 26% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare8%
8% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $13 460 THB |
| AVERAGE | $83 3,000 THB |
| HIGH | $550 20,000 THB |
| Per Month |
Students in Chiang Mai allocate 5% to 11% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 8%. The range of medical expenses range from 460 THB to 20,000 THB with 3,000 THB being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping4%
4% of total expenses on average (2% to 8%)
| LOW | $11 380 THB |
| AVERAGE | $69 2,500 THB |
| HIGH | $460 17,000 THB |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 380 THB to 17,000 THB with 2,500 THB being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 8% of total expenses with an average of 4% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling19%
19% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $40 1,400 THB |
| AVERAGE | $260 9,400 THB |
| HIGH | $1,800 63,000 THB |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 19% of the monthly expenditure of students with 12% and 24% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 9,400 THB per month with 1,400 THB being the minimum spent amount and 63,000 THB being the maximum.
Other Expenses17%
17% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $32 1,100 THB |
| AVERAGE | $210 7,400 THB |
| HIGH | $1,400 50,000 THB |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Chiang Mai
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Chiang Mai?
Around 80% of surveyed students think that living in Chiang Mai is affordable with proper budgeting while 20% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Chiang Mai
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options66%
Few low-cost options34%
Based on the survey, 66% of the students living in Chiang Mai have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 34% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Chiang Mai whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes79%
No21%
Based on the survey, 21% of the students living in Chiang Mai said that they don't have an emergency fund while 79% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Thailand
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy69%
We asked student guardians and parents in Chiang Mai whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 31% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 69% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Thailand have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 25% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 75% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance25%
Easily manages finances75%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Chiang Mai
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Chiang Mai
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 8,800 THB | 13,000 THB | 35,000 THB |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 13,000 THB | 21,000 THB | 53,000 THB |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 18,000 THB | 26,000 THB | 71,000 THB |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 21,000 THB | 35,000 THB | 96,000 THB |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 42,000 THB | 110,000 THB | 210,000 THB |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 35,000 THB | 53,000 THB | 150,000 THB |
House monthly rent cost
| 42,000 THB | 110,000 THB | 210,000 THB |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 53,000 THB | 130,000 THB | 210,000 THB |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Chiang Mai ranges between 8,800 THB and 35,000 THB, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 13,000 THB to 53,000 THB. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 18,000 THB and 71,000 THB per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 21,000 THB to 96,000 THB. The average rent of a townhouse in Chiang Mai is around 53,000 THB while house rental costs can be as high as 110,000 THB per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 53,000 THB to 210,000 THB per month.
Apartment and house prices in Chiang Mai
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 1.8M THB | 2.6M THB | 5.3M THB |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 2.1M THB | 3.5M THB | 13M THB |
2-bedroom apartment price
| $98,000 | $300,000 | $590,000 |
3-bedroom apartment price
Townhouse price
House price
| 18M THB | 110M THB | 150M THB |
Villa price
| 21M THB | 120M THB | 180M THB |
The average price of a studio apartment in Chiang Mai can range from 1.8M THB to 5.3M THB depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 2.1M THB to 13M THB. A villa can cost you 120M THB on average with prices ranging from 21M THB to 180M THB.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Chiang Mai will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 46 | x132 monthly income | 231 |
Property prices in Chiang Mai can be x132 to x231 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x132 multiples of the average monthly salary in Chiang Mai.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Chiang Mai is around 35%. This means that people pay 35% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 24% to 46% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
32% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
| 150 THB | 2,000 THB | 20,000 THB |
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Chiang Mai
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Chiang Mai
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
| 300 THB | 2,000 THB | 13,000 THB |
Internet and cable cost
| 500 THB | 1,000 THB | 1,300 THB |
Mobile phone bill and charges
| 400 THB | 670 THB | 2,000 THB |
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 2,000 THB. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 500 THB to 1,300 THB with 1,000 THB being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 670 THB but can range between 400 THB and 2,000 THB depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Chiang Mai is around 5.4%. This means that people pay 5.4% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 2.2% to 9.8% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Chiang Mai
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Chiang Mai
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Chiang Mai is approximatly 200 THB with meal cost ranging from 100 THB to 340 THB. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
| 340 THB | 520 THB | 1,000 THB |
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 340 THB and 1,000 THB with 520 THB being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Chiang Mai.
Fine dining meal for one price
| 690 THB | 1,000 THB | 4,100 THB |
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 690 THB to 4,100 THB with the average cost being 1,000 THB for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Chiang Mai.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Chiang Mai is around 130 THB. Price ranges between 84 THB and 200 THB depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Chiang Mai is 81 THB. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 100 THB and the minimum being 67 THB depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 67 THB on average with 50 THB and 100 THB being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Chiang Mai is between 110 THB and 210 THB depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 150 THB.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 200 THB. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Chiang Mai costs around 74 THB on average with prices rangeing between 54 THB and 110 THB depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 20 THB to 50 THB. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 47 THB on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Chiang Mai is around 27%. This means that students spend 27% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 18% to 34% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 1,500 THB to 66,000 THB with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
