Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated September 2026
| Item | Chiang Mai | Hoi An | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ฿ 55$1.67 | ₫ 53,000$2.02 | Chiang Mai −17% |
| Street food1 item | ฿ 25$0.76 | ₫ 24,000$0.91 | Chiang Mai −17% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ฿ 300$9.09 | ₫ 260,000$9.89 | Chiang Mai −8% |
| Coffeeone cup | ฿ 65$1.97 | ₫ 42,000$1.6 | Hoi An −19% |
| Beerone bottle | ฿ 80$2.42 | ₫ 32,000$1.22 | Hoi An −50% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ฿ 210$6.36 | ₫ 83,000$3.16 | Hoi An −50% |
| Bottled water | ฿ 10$0.3 | ₫ 7,900$0.3 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ฿ 25$0.76 | ₫ 20,000$0.76 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | ฿ 52$1.58 | ₫ 79,000$3 | Chiang Mai −48% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ฿ 59$1.79 | ₫ 45,000$1.71 | similar |
| Transitone ride | ฿ 30$0.91 | ₫ 7,900$0.3 | Hoi An −67% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ฿ 240$7.27 | ₫ 180,000$6.84 | Hoi An −6% |
| Hotel night3-star | ฿ 1,000$30.3 | ₫ 1,200,000$45.6 | Chiang Mai −34% |
| Studio rent (month) | ฿ 9,000$273 | ₫ 10,000,000$380 | Chiang Mai −28% |
| Laundry | ฿ 44$1.33 | ₫ 32,000$1.22 | Hoi An −9% |
| SIM card1 week data | ฿ 240$7.27 | ₫ 160,000$6.08 | Hoi An −16% |
| Haircutcut | ฿ 110$3.33 | ₫ 110,000$4.18 | Chiang Mai −20% |
| Massage1 hour | ฿ 300$9.09 | ₫ 300,000$11.4 | Chiang Mai −20% |
| Half-day tourper person | ฿ 890$27 | ₫ 760,000$28.9 | Chiang Mai −7% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ฿ 240$7.27 | ₫ 130,000$4.94 | Hoi An −32% |
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%+.
Chiang Mai is 41% cheaper than Hoi An. Daily budget $53.8 vs $74.7; a month $994 vs $1,423.
With a short-term studio and living costs, Chiang Mai is about $994 and Hoi An about $1,423 per month.
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.