Cost of Living · TH vs CN
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai vs 🇨🇳 Shanghai: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $706 in Thailand vs $1,011 in China — 43.29% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in China
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: 12.5%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 12.64%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 12.67%
Closest to Thailand prices
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +51.75%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +51.74%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +51.74%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Thailand | China | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $428 | $650 (4,675 CNY) | +51.75% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $343 | $520 (3,740 CNY) | +51.74% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $783 | $1,189 (8,548 CNY) | +51.74% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $5.96 | $8.27 (59 CNY) | +38.76% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $24.83 | $34.45 (248 CNY) | +38.74% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $4.03 | $5.42 (39 CNY) | +34.49% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.49 | $0.62 (4 CNY) | +26.53% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $1.43 | $1.82 (13 CNY) | +27.27% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $1.52 | $1.93 (14 CNY) | +26.97% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $4.47 | $5.68 (41 CNY) | +27.07% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $1.79 | $2.27 (16 CNY) | +26.82% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $2.15 | $2.73 (20 CNY) | +26.98% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $5.37 | $6.81 (49 CNY) | +26.82% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $0.89 | $1.14 (8 CNY) | +28.09% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $1.99 | $2.76 (20 CNY) | +38.69% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $5.35 | $6.03 (43 CNY) | +12.71% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $1.66 | $2.30 (17 CNY) | +38.55% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.03 | $1.31 (9 CNY) | +27.18% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $23.79 | $32.05 (230 CNY) | +34.72% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.01 | $1.36 (10 CNY) | +34.65% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $1.32 | $1.84 (13 CNY) | +39.39% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $0.60 | $0.83 (6 CNY) | +38.33% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.64 | $0.72 (5 CNY) | +12.5% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $73.20 | $98.60 (709 CNY) | +34.7% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $25.62 | $34.51 (248 CNY) | +34.7% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $16.47 | $22.19 (160 CNY) | +34.73% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $16.55 | $22.97 (165 CNY) | +38.79% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $4.63 | $6.43 (46 CNY) | +38.88% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $9.93 | $13.78 (99 CNY) | +38.77% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $36.79 | $41.45 (298 CNY) | +12.67% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $60.21 | $67.82 (488 CNY) | +12.64% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $82.75 | $115 (826 CNY) | +38.77% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much more expensive is China than Thailand?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,011 in China versus $706 in Thailand — 43.29% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in China?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $2.76 in China (≈ 19.84 CNY), versus about $1.99 in Thailand.
- How much is rent in China compared to Thailand?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $650/month in China versus $428/month in Thailand (+51.75%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.