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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,506 in Hulhumale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,680 in Hulhumale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,854 in Hulhumale, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Hulhumale is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.41 MVR 83.6

-63.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$28.88 MVR 446

-34.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$9.97 MVR 154

-20.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 MVR 70.7

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MVR 57.8

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.84 MVR 43.93

-32.75%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.33 MVR 20.51

-36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.25 MVR 3.86

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.78 MVR 27.45

-7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.55 MVR 23.92

4.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.33 MVR 5.17

257.58%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.54 MVR 23.87

30.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.01 MVR 124

98.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.05 MVR 93.5

-50.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$8.63 MVR 133

24.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.98 MVR 61.5

-34.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$3.71 MVR 57.3

-67.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$4.21 MVR 65.1

-59.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.24 MVR 50.0

-51.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.52 MVR 23.44

-13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.23 MVR 19.08

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$3.06 MVR 47.31

-78.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$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 41.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.80 MVR 151

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$7.92 MVR 122

-42.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.00 MVR 30.98

-32.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.94 MVR 29.93

-30.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$9.98 MVR 154

-17.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.91 MVR 14.12

39.56%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.6K MVR 503.7K

-35.11%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.0K MVR 525.9K

-33.94%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$108 MVR 1,670

-35.09%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$40.96 MVR 633

-66.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$41.62 MVR 643

-57.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$65.7 MVR 1,015

-36.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$9.89 MVR 153

-41.56%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$165 MVR 2,553

85.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,595 MVR 55.5K

312.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$44.10 MVR 681

23.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$56.9 MVR 879

-54.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$90.7 MVR 1,401

-6.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$53.3 MVR 824

30.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,279 MVR 19.8K

-66.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$774 MVR 12.0K

-69.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$2,878 MVR 44.5K

-71.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$2,292 MVR 35.4K

-77.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$5,375 MVR 83.0K

-61.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$494 MVR 7,632

208.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$709 MVR 10.9K

-10.36%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,279 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 12% 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 $29.00 in Hulhumale. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $221 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 77% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,258 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 $29.00 in Hulhumale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% 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 $852, than in Hulhumale at $1,506. 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 $852 versus $1,506 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.