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Chiang Mai vs Melbourne 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
๐ฆ๐บ Melbourne
At a glance
- Where Chiang Mai is clearly cheaper: Bottled water (89%โ), Massage (87%โ), Local meal (85%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Melbourne is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.4). Biggest gap: language โ Chiang Mai 3 vs Melbourne 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Chiang Mai | Melbourne | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | เธฟ 80$2.42 | A$ 24$16 | Chiang Mai โ85% |
| Street food1 item | เธฟ 50$1.52 | A$ 15$10 | Chiang Mai โ85% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | เธฟ 400$12.1 | A$ 55$36.7 | Chiang Mai โ67% |
| Coffeeone cup | เธฟ 75$2.27 | A$ 5.6$3.73 | Chiang Mai โ39% |
| Beerone bottle | เธฟ 85$2.58 | A$ 14$9.33 | Chiang Mai โ72% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | เธฟ 180$5.45 | A$ 20$13.3 | Chiang Mai โ59% |
| Bottled water | เธฟ 10$0.3 | A$ 4$2.67 | Chiang Mai โ89% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | เธฟ 20$0.61 | A$ 4.8$3.2 | Chiang Mai โ81% |
| Taxi5 km in town | เธฟ 100$3.03 | A$ 18$12 | Chiang Mai โ75% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | เธฟ 60$1.82 | A$ 11$7.33 | Chiang Mai โ75% |
| Transitone ride | เธฟ 30$0.91 | A$ 5.7$3.8 | Chiang Mai โ76% |
| Scooter rentalper day | เธฟ 250$7.58 | A$ 40$26.7 | Chiang Mai โ72% |
| Hotel night3-star | เธฟ 1,100$33.3 | A$ 190$127 | Chiang Mai โ74% |
| Studio rent (month) | เธฟ 10,500$318 | A$ 2,150$1,433 | Chiang Mai โ78% |
| Laundry | เธฟ 35$1.06 | A$ 7.5$5 | Chiang Mai โ79% |
| SIM card1 week data | เธฟ 299$9.06 | A$ 30$20 | Chiang Mai โ55% |
| Haircutcut | เธฟ 150$4.55 | A$ 38$25.3 | Chiang Mai โ82% |
| Massage1 hour | เธฟ 250$7.58 | A$ 85$56.7 | Chiang Mai โ87% |
| Half-day tourper person | เธฟ 800$24.2 | A$ 90$60 | Chiang Mai โ60% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | เธฟ 145$4.39 | A$ 38$25.3 | Chiang Mai โ83% |
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 Melbourne?
Chiang Mai is 75% cheaper than Melbourne. Daily budget $66.9 vs $255; a month $1,232 vs $5,229.
Which is easier to travel, Chiang Mai or Melbourne?
Melbourne is easier: Melbourne 1.6/5 vs Chiang Mai 2.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Chiang Mai and Melbourne?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Chiang Mai is about $1,232 and Melbourne about $5,229 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.