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 $1,516 in Hulhumale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,711 in Hulhumale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,906 in Hulhumale, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 44% cheaper than Hulhumale, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Hulhumale is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.38 MVR 83.0

-62.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$28.95 MVR 446

-35.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$9.99 MVR 154

-21.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MVR 69.4

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 MVR 58.7

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.94 MVR 45.37

-30.95%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.31 MVR 20.26

-38.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.25 MVR 3.82

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.81 MVR 27.83

-4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.61 MVR 24.87

-2.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.33 MVR 5.09

263.64%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.54 MVR 23.76

27.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.31 MVR 128

95.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.02 MVR 92.9

-49.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$8.74 MVR 135

23.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$4.14 MVR 63.8

-33.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$3.83 MVR 59.0

-69.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$4.26 MVR 65.7

-59.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$3.23 MVR 49.83

-50.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.52 MVR 23.38

-8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.22 MVR 18.78

-4.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$3.07 MVR 47.27

-78.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.54 MVR 8.30

-3.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.45 MVR 192

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MVR 40.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 MVR 152

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.87 MVR 121

-40.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.00 MVR 30.83

-29.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.89 MVR 29.19

-29.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$9.94 MVR 153

-18.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.95 MVR 14.65

29.47%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.5K MVR 501.9K

-34.15%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$33.8K MVR 521.0K

-35.41%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$106 MVR 1,632

-32.62%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$42.09 MVR 649

-66.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$41.60 MVR 641

-56.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$64.4 MVR 994

-36.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$9.83 MVR 152

-41.81%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$162 MVR 2,504

89.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,525 MVR 54.3K

316.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$44.06 MVR 679

26.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$56.9 MVR 878

-54.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$89.6 MVR 1,382

-5.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$54.9 MVR 846

29.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,319 MVR 20.3K

-67.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$769 MVR 11.9K

-68.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$2,902 MVR 44.7K

-72.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$2,305 MVR 35.5K

-78.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$5,446 MVR 84.0K

-64.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$498 MVR 7,685

193.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$718 MVR 11.1K

-17.17%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,319 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 21% 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $225 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 78% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,274 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 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 $852, than in Hulhumale at $1,516. 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 $1,516 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.