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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $530 in Madang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,180 in Madang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,831 in Madang, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 64% more than Madang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Madang are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Madang 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.85 PGK 29.44

-71.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$38.80 PGK 167

-51.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$10.71 PGK 46.02

-27.64%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.34 PGK 10.03

-17.95%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.22 PGK 5.22

-35.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.70 PGK 3.00

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.95 PGK 12.68

-25.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.30 PGK 18.47

-14.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.88 PGK 8.08

-12.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.41 PGK 6.06

15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.45 PGK 6.24

-17.93%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.28 PGK 14.10

-39.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.61 PGK 24.12

-45.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.19 PGK 35.18

32.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$5.35 PGK 22.99

-48.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.43 PGK 10.44

-51.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.91 PGK 3.92

80.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.96 PGK 8.44

-22.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$4.85 PGK 20.85

-71.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.93 PGK 12.58

-59.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$6.10 PGK 26.19

-88.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.46 PGK 1.96

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.20 PGK 22.33

-11.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.14 PGK 9.21

-14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.38 PGK 10.21

34.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.10 PGK 4.71

11.82%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$68.1 PGK 292

3.63%

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

$13.68 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$24.06 PGK 103

-27.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$80.3 PGK 345

282.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$5,942 PGK 25.5K

145.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$19.19 PGK 82.4

190.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$14.45 PGK 62.1

81.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$67.4 PGK 290

27.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$28.32 PGK 122

155.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$951 PGK 4,085

-14.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$592 PGK 2,542

-13.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Madang: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Madang. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $225 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 64% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $795 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 $39.00 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $530 in Madang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madang costs $530 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 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.