Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and La Marsa Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and La Marsa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $758 in La Marsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,346 in La Marsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,935 in La Marsa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than La Marsa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and La Marsa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, La Marsa 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.35 TND 9.77

-40.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$21.69 TND 63.3

-13.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.09 TND 11.94

89.49%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.71 TND 2.07

170.42%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.65 TND 1.89

21.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.25 TND 0.73

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.49 TND 4.36

48.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.50 TND 7.30

46.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.51 TND 1.48

223.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.18 TND 0.54

805.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.51 TND 4.39

-21.19%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.59 TND 4.63

25.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.07 TND 32.31

44.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.62 TND 16.40

-46.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$13.31 TND 38.84

-18.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.88 TND 5.49

46.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$3.02 TND 8.81

-60.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.05 TND 3.05

56.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.67 TND 1.97

126.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.64 TND 1.88

115.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.50 TND 1.47

138.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.37 TND 1.07

89.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.25 TND 0.73

124.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.42 TND 9.96

33.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.00 TND 20.43

136.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.10 TND 3.21

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.05 TND 3.06

204.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.33 TND 0.96

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$6.75 TND 19.70

177.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.29 TND 0.84

368.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.22 TND 0.64

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.14 TND 12.09

89.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.88 TND 2.56

39.77%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$34.8K TND 101.5K

-37.87%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$26.9K TND 78.4K

-16.14%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$34.87 TND 102

102.29%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.87 TND 28.80

38.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$14.60 TND 42.61

19.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$45.21 TND 132

-8.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$7.44 TND 21.69

-6.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.47 TND 13.03

29.08%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$85.8 TND 250

257.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,413 TND 7,039

505.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$44.40 TND 130

25.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$44.25 TND 129

-40.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$90.0 TND 263

-4.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$64.2 TND 187

12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$352 TND 1,027

22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$279 TND 815

-14.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$776 TND 2,263

5.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$829 TND 2,420

-38.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,842 TND 5,374

7.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,070 TND 3,120

38.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$348 TND 1,014

78.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

-63.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for La Marsa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $352 in La Marsa. 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 78% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $22.00 in La Marsa. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $185 in La Marsa – so La Marsa 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 La Marsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than La Marsa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,136 in La Marsa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $85.8 in La Marsa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $758 in La Marsa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Marsa costs $758 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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 La Marsa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.