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Chiang Mai vs Da Nang cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐น๐ญ Chiang Mai
๐ป๐ณ Da Nang
At a glance
- Where Da Nang is clearly cheaper: Transit (67%โ), Beer (56%โ), Entry ticket (48%โ)
- Where Chiang Mai is clearly cheaper: Massage (34%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Chiang Mai is easier to travel (2.4 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: payments โ Chiang Mai 2 vs Da Nang 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Chiang Mai | Da Nang | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | เธฟ 80$2.42 | โซ 50,000$1.9 | Da Nang โ22% |
| Street food1 item | เธฟ 50$1.52 | โซ 35,000$1.33 | Da Nang โ12% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | เธฟ 400$12.1 | โซ 250,000$9.51 | Da Nang โ22% |
| Coffeeone cup | เธฟ 75$2.27 | โซ 45,000$1.71 | Da Nang โ25% |
| Beerone bottle | เธฟ 85$2.58 | โซ 30,000$1.14 | Da Nang โ56% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | เธฟ 180$5.45 | โซ 120,000$4.56 | Da Nang โ16% |
| Bottled water | เธฟ 10$0.3 | โซ 7,000$0.27 | Da Nang โ12% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | เธฟ 20$0.61 | โซ 15,000$0.57 | Da Nang โ6% |
| Taxi5 km in town | เธฟ 100$3.03 | โซ 60,000$2.28 | Da Nang โ25% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | เธฟ 60$1.82 | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Da Nang โ48% |
| Transitone ride | เธฟ 30$0.91 | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Da Nang โ67% |
| Scooter rentalper day | เธฟ 250$7.58 | โซ 150,000$5.7 | Da Nang โ25% |
| Hotel night3-star | เธฟ 1,100$33.3 | โซ 800,000$30.4 | Da Nang โ9% |
| Studio rent (month) | เธฟ 10,500$318 | โซ 9,000,000$342 | Chiang Mai โ7% |
| Laundry | เธฟ 35$1.06 | โซ 30,000$1.14 | Chiang Mai โ7% |
| SIM card1 week data | เธฟ 299$9.06 | โซ 200,000$7.6 | Da Nang โ16% |
| Haircutcut | เธฟ 150$4.55 | โซ 80,000$3.04 | Da Nang โ33% |
| Massage1 hour | เธฟ 250$7.58 | โซ 300,000$11.4 | Chiang Mai โ34% |
| Half-day tourper person | เธฟ 800$24.2 | โซ 550,000$20.9 | Da Nang โ14% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | เธฟ 145$4.39 | โซ 60,000$2.28 | Da Nang โ48% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Chiang Mai or Da Nang?
Chiang Mai and Da Nang cost about the same. Daily budget $66.9 vs $56.5; a month $1,232 vs $1,303.
Which is easier to travel, Chiang Mai or Da Nang?
Chiang Mai is easier: Chiang Mai 2.4/5 vs Da Nang 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Chiang Mai and Da Nang?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Chiang Mai is about $1,232 and Da Nang about $1,303 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.