Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Madang Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Madang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $529 in Madang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,191 in Madang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,852 in Madang, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Madang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Madang are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Madang 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.69 PGK 29.50

-69.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$38.09 PGK 168

-50.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$10.82 PGK 47.75

-27.36%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.44 PGK 10.76

-16.80%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.23 PGK 5.43

-34.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.71 PGK 3.12

-50.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.89 PGK 12.77

-25.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.31 PGK 19.00

-14.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.95 PGK 8.62

-11.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.46 PGK 6.43

7.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.47 PGK 6.50

-18.37%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.39 PGK 14.94

-41.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.75 PGK 25.36

-46.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$8.21 PGK 36.25

31.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$5.41 PGK 23.87

-48.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.38 PGK 10.51

-50.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.92 PGK 4.04

85.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.97 PGK 8.68

-19.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$4.89 PGK 21.59

-71.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.91 PGK 12.86

-60.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$5.91 PGK 26.07

-88.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.47 PGK 2.06

10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.08 PGK 22.41

-8.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.22 PGK 9.78

-19.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.44 PGK 10.75

36.89%

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.11 PGK 4.88

10.81%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$65.9 PGK 291

8.21%

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

$14.01 ฿467

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$23.73 PGK 105

-24.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$78.8 PGK 348

291.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,047 PGK 26.7K

142.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$19.43 PGK 85.7

187.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$14.52 PGK 64.1

79.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$66.7 PGK 294

27.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$28.71 PGK 127

147.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$952 PGK 4,201

-16.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$599 PGK 2,641

-15.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Madang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Madang. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $227 in Madang – so Madang 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 Madang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Madang, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $794 in Madang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in Madang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $529 in Madang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madang costs $529 versus $852 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 Madang. 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.