Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Maasin City

For one person, living is cheaper in Maasin City: $731 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Maasin City
Learn more

Maasin City Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Maasin City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$731

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Maasin City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Maasin City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $731 in Maasin City, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Maasin City $731

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,126 in Maasin City, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Maasin City $1,126

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,521 in Maasin City, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Maasin City $1,521

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than Maasin City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Maasin City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Maasin City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$3.94 ₱250

-45.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$23.11 ₱1,464

-19.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$3.86 ₱244

45.08%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$2.53 ₱160

-34.39%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$0.63 ₱39.84

3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$0.50 ₱31.70

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$1.67 ₱106

38.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.14 ₱135

71.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.89 ₱120

6.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$1.13 ₱71.7

24.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$0.82 ₱51.8

69.51%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$1.83 ₱116

29.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$4.76 ₱302

247.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$4.30 ₱272

-37.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$7.42 ₱470

21.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.54 ₱97.3

55.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$0.61 ₱38.66

70.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$1.60 ₱102

3.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.52 ₱96.0

2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$2.36 ₱150

-47.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$1.95 ₱123

-44.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$1.10 ₱69.8

-30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.59 ₱37.33

-13.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.82 ₱179

46.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$6.17 ₱391

190.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$1.21 ₱76.4

33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$1.65 ₱104

70.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$0.24 ₱15.22

287.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

$12.16 ₱770

334.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$0.75 ₱47.40

57.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.20 ₱12.65

-15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.86 ₱118

-2.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$1.36 ₱86.4

8.09%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

1.73%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

40.36%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$119 ₱7,540

-47.43%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$15.32 ₱971

-24.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$27.59 ₱1,748

-26.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$31.54 ₱1,998

20.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$5.33 ₱338

-30.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$5.54 ₱351

17.51%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$132 ₱8,333

452.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$7,821 ₱495.5K

111.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$32.36 ₱2,051

65.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$19.28 ₱1,222

28.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$75.8 ₱4,803

19.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$57.8 ₱3,664

24.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$253 ₱16.0K

90.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$170 ₱10.8K

82.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$480 ₱30.4K

120.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$351 ₱22.2K

87.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$2,608 ₱165.3K

-7.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$1,117 ₱70.8K

44.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$125 ₱7,895

377.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Maasin City: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Maasin City

$170 23.2% 45.2% $140

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Maasin City

$168 23% 28.9% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Maasin City

$83 11.4% 23% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Maasin City

$162 22.1% 71.4% $67

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Maasin City

$91 12.4% 18.3% $14

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Maasin City

$15 2% 74.7% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Maasin City

$43 5.8% 16.3% $8.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $253 in Maasin City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 4.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $23 in Maasin City. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Maasin City – so Maasin City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Maasin City

🕒 Local time

07:49 7:49 AM

08:49 8:49 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

85,560

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 63.36 PHP (100 PHP = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 71.33 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Maasin City 2,940 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Maasin City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Maasin City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than Maasin City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,097 in Maasin City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maasin City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $253 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $132 in Maasin City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Maasin City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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