Wooden temples in misted hills.
Ranks #2 of 68 cities we track — one of the lowest daily costs anywhere in the index.
At $108/day mid-range, Chiang Mai runs 61% under the $279/day global median across 68 cities.
Accommodation runs $55/day here, about 36% below the Southeast Asia average of $86/day — one of the reasons Chiang Mai punches above its weight for daily spend.
Chiang Mai lands in the cheaper third of the global index — a $108/day mid-range figure that undercuts the $279/day median by 61%. Inside Southeast Asia it's ranked #1 of 9 on daily cost, 36% below the regional average of $168/day. The line item that moves the total most is accommodation at $55/day (36% below the regional norm) — worth accounting for before you compare against another city on headline numbers alone. Season effect is roughly 47% between low and peak, in line with the global average (~47%), which is why timing the trip to nov–feb shows up on nearly every itinerary that hits the numbers on this page.
On a shoulder-season day in Chiang Mai, a budget traveller spends about $47, a mid-range traveller about $108, and a luxury traveller about $301 — per person, covering accommodation, food, local transport, activities, and miscellaneous costs. At $108/day mid-range, Chiang Mai is noticeably cheaper than the global median of $279/day.
Time your visit for Nov–Feb and the daily figure stays near the baseline; shift into peak and you'll see roughly a 47% swing between low and peak season for the same mid-range trip ($92 → $135 per day).
Compared with nearby Southeast Asia destinations, Bali trends pricier ($128/day).
| Category | Budget | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| accommodation | $25 | $55 | $163 |
| food | $9 | $23 | $60 |
| transport | $3 | $7 | $18 |
| activities | $6 | $15 | $40 |
| Misc & fees | $4 | $8 | $20 |
| Total per day | $47 | $108 | $301 |
Per person · USD · shoulder-season baseline
| Season | Budget / day | Mid / day | Luxury / day |
|---|---|---|---|
| low | $40 | $92 | $256 |
| shoulder | $47 | $108 | $301 |
| peak | $59 | $135 | $376 |
Best-value window: Nov–Feb
| Length | Budget | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | $141 | $324 | $903 |
| 7 days | $329 | $756 | $2,107 |
| 14 days | $658 | $1,512 | $4,214 |
On-the-ground totals · shoulder season · excludes flights and visas