Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Maasin City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Maasin City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $771 in Maasin City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,252 in Maasin City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,732 in Maasin City, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Maasin City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Maasin City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Maasin City 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.51 ₱278

-56.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$23.62 ₱1,456

-22.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.33 ₱267

72.75%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.57 ₱159

-21.40%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.79 ₱48.79

7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.46 ₱28.18

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.54 ₱95.0

38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.10 ₱129

70.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.17 ₱134

-23.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.92 ₱56.6

70.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.94 ₱58.0

26.60%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.14 ₱132

-9.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$12.65 ₱780

27.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.36 ₱331

-44.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.59 ₱468

44.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.82 ₱112

48.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.69 ₱42.46

69.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.79 ₱110

-5.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.18 ₱134

-26.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.58 ₱159

-46.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.50 ₱154

-52.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.95 ₱58.4

-29.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.85 ₱52.3

-34.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.10 ₱191

49.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$6.49 ₱400

171.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.16 ₱71.5

60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.34 ₱144

41.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.28 ₱17.34

214.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.87 ₱53.8

56.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.25 ₱15.44

436.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.70 ₱166

204.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.09 ₱67.5

11.93%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$30.3K ₱1.9M

-29.50%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$27.7K ₱1.7M

-18.56%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$98.3 ₱6,065

-28.14%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$33.67 ₱2,077

-58.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$29.48 ₱1,818

-40.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$34.56 ₱2,132

21.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$4.37 ₱269

57.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.03 ₱372

-1.82%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$235 ₱14.5K

31.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,903 ₱240.7K

281.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$46.08 ₱2,842

21.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$22.63 ₱1,395

15.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$76.7 ₱4,731

8.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$54.6 ₱3,367

29.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$269 ₱16.6K

60.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$180 ₱11.1K

32.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$590 ₱36.4K

39.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$399 ₱24.6K

28.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,430 ₱149.8K

-21.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$959 ₱59.1K

53.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$129 ₱7,978

347.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maasin City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $269 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 run about 348% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Maasin City. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $212 in Maasin City – so Maasin City 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 Maasin City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Maasin City, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,156 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Maasin City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $771 in Maasin City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maasin City costs $771 versus $861 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 Maasin City. 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.