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Compare cities › Chiang Mai vs Luang Prabang
Chiang Mai vs Luang Prabang cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated September 2026
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇱🇦 Luang PrabangChiang Mai is 27% cheaper than Luang Prabang
Living on $994 a month in Chiang Mai feels like about $1,362 in Luang Prabang — same standard of living, compared by feel rather than exchange rate.
Per day
$53.8 vs $63.2
Per month
$994 vs $1,362
Local meal
฿ 55 vs ₭ 55,000
$1.67 vs $2.5
Taxi 5 km
฿ 52 vs ₭ 55,000
$1.58 vs $2.5
At a glance
FoodChiang Mai 25% cheaper
Cafés & drinksLuang Prabang 25% cheaper
Transportsimilar
StayChiang Mai 18% cheaper
FunLuang Prabang 8% cheaper
- Where Luang Prabang is clearly cheaper: Transit (56%↓), Cocktail & wine (39%↓), Beer (38%↓)
- Where Chiang Mai is clearly cheaper: Taxi (37%↓), Street food (33%↓), Local meal (33%↓)
Item by item
| Item | Chiang Mai | Luang Prabang | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ฿ 55$1.67 | ₭ 55,000$2.5 | Chiang Mai −33% |
| Street food1 item | ฿ 25$0.76 | ₭ 25,000$1.14 | Chiang Mai −33% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ฿ 300$9.09 | ₭ 200,000$9.09 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | ฿ 65$1.97 | ₭ 44,000$2 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | ฿ 80$2.42 | ₭ 33,000$1.5 | Luang Prabang −38% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ฿ 210$6.36 | ₭ 86,000$3.91 | Luang Prabang −39% |
| Bottled water | ฿ 10$0.3 | ₭ 6,600$0.3 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ฿ 25$0.76 | ₭ 17,000$0.77 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | ฿ 52$1.58 | ₭ 55,000$2.5 | Chiang Mai −37% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ฿ 59$1.79 | ₭ 38,000$1.73 | similar |
| Transitone ride | ฿ 30$0.91 | ₭ 8,800$0.4 | Luang Prabang −56% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ฿ 240$7.27 | ₭ 180,000$8.18 | Chiang Mai −11% |
| Hotel night3-star | ฿ 1,000$30.3 | ₭ 770,000$35 | Chiang Mai −13% |
| Studio rent (month) | ฿ 9,000$273 | ₭ 7,700,000$350 | Chiang Mai −22% |
| Laundry | ฿ 44$1.33 | ₭ 22,000$1 | Luang Prabang −25% |
| SIM card1 week data | ฿ 240$7.27 | ₭ 110,000$5 | Luang Prabang −31% |
| Haircutcut | ฿ 110$3.33 | ₭ 70,000$3.18 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | ฿ 300$9.09 | ₭ 200,000$9.09 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | ฿ 890$27 | ₭ 630,000$28.6 | Chiang Mai −6% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ฿ 240$7.27 | ₭ 110,000$5 | Luang Prabang −31% |
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 Luang Prabang?
Chiang Mai is 27% cheaper than Luang Prabang. Daily budget $53.8 vs $63.2; a month $994 vs $1,362.
How do monthly costs compare between Chiang Mai and Luang Prabang?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Chiang Mai is about $994 and Luang Prabang about $1,362 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.