Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hulhumale Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hulhumale

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,521 in Hulhumale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,721 in Hulhumale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,921 in Hulhumale, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 43% cheaper than Hulhumale, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Hulhumale is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.38 MVR 83.0

-63.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$29.74 MVR 459

-36.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$9.59 MVR 148

-19.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 MVR 68.4

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 MVR 58.4

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.94 MVR 45.30

-34.69%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.27 MVR 19.58

-37.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.27 MVR 4.19

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.81 MVR 27.90

-8.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.57 MVR 24.15

3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.31 MVR 4.71

283.87%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.53 MVR 23.60

30.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.22 MVR 127

94.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.11 MVR 94.2

-50.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.65 MVR 133

25.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$4.01 MVR 61.8

-31.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$3.73 MVR 57.5

-68.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$4.39 MVR 67.7

-62.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$3.22 MVR 49.66

-52.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.55 MVR 23.96

-10.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.23 MVR 18.96

-3.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$3.13 MVR 48.29

-77.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.50 MVR 7.68

12.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.23 MVR 189

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MVR 41.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.00 MVR 154

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$8.34 MVR 129

-45.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.98 MVR 30.56

-31.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.92 MVR 29.68

-30.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.52 MVR 147

-17.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.96 MVR 14.84

28.13%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.6K MVR 502.3K

-33.62%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.4K MVR 530.5K

-34.46%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$70.5 ฿2,298

$107 MVR 1,650

-34.06%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.68 ฿445

$42.13 MVR 650

-67.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$42.52 MVR 656

-58.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$65.1 MVR 1,004

-36.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$9.52 MVR 147

-39.39%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$307 ฿10.0K

$160 MVR 2,460

92.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,594 MVR 55.4K

306.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$45.16 MVR 696

23.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$56.3 MVR 868

-53.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$88.7 MVR 1,368

-3.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$53.4 MVR 823

35.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$1,294 MVR 20.0K

-66.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$768 MVR 11.8K

-68.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$2,918 MVR 45.0K

-71.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$2,283 MVR 35.2K

-77.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$5,384 MVR 83.0K

-63.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$494 MVR 7,620

200.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$710 MVR 10.9K

-12.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

-59.68%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,294 in Hulhumale. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Hulhumale, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Hulhumale. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $224 in Hulhumale – so Hulhumale wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Hulhumale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hulhumale costs about 75% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,282 in Hulhumale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $30.00 in Hulhumale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Hulhumale – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Hulhumale at $1,521. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hulhumale it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,521 in Hulhumale. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hulhumale makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.