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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,447 in Hulhumale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,576 in Hulhumale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,704 in Hulhumale, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 36% cheaper than Hulhumale, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Hulhumale is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$6.16 MVR 95.0

-66.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$38.91 MVR 600

-49.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.46 MVR 146

-40.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 MVR 76.4

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MVR 76.1

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.64 MVR 56.1

-50.27%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.61 MVR 24.85

-52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.29 MVR 4.40

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.62 MVR 25.05

26.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.66 MVR 25.61

-9.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.33 MVR 5.15

324.24%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.80 MVR 27.76

25.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$3.28 MVR 50.5

393.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$5.94 MVR 91.6

-51.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$9.61 MVR 148

-1.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$4.00 MVR 61.7

-33.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$3.13 MVR 48.20

-65.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.83 MVR 43.72

-42.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.68 MVR 41.25

-45.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.28 MVR 19.78

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.16 MVR 17.89

-8.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.10 MVR 32.36

-65.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.58 MVR 8.90

-8.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.27 MVR 189

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MVR 42.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 MVR 31.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$12.91 MVR 199

-67.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.93 MVR 29.69

-39.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.91 MVR 29.46

-69.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$9.85 MVR 152

-75.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.97 MVR 14.92

49.48%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$32.1K MVR 495.4K

-34.59%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$29.5K MVR 454.5K

-10.35%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$105 MVR 1,620

-39.42%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$29.86 MVR 460

-56.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$71.8 MVR 1,106

-71.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$9.47 MVR 146

-30.52%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$183 MVR 2,824

328.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$3,060 MVR 47.2K

379.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$39.54 MVR 610

39.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$48.94 MVR 755

-49.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$88.0 MVR 1,356

7.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$52.8 MVR 815

39.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$1,142 MVR 17.6K

-57.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$785 MVR 12.1K

-63.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$2,306 MVR 35.6K

-61.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$2,310 MVR 35.6K

-77.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$5,464 MVR 84.3K

-63.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$503 MVR 7,755

187.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$706 MVR 10.9K

-14.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-60.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,142 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 17% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Hulhumale. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $195 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 55% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,171 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $39.00 in Hulhumale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% 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 $932, than in Hulhumale at $1,447. 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 $932 versus $1,447 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.