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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $335 in Madaripur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $542 in Madaripur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $749 in Madaripur, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 170% more than Madaripur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Madaripur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Madaripur 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$1.18 ৳145

80.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿653

$12.32 ৳1,514

57.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$5.17 ৳635

5.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 ৳316

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 ৳489

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.7

$2.01 ৳247

-16.42%

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

$0.66 ฿22.22

$0.36 ৳44.78

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.58

$0.14 ৳17.65

142.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿126

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.3

$0.81 ৳99.1

154.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.06

$0.56 ৳69.1

160.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.34

$0.64 ৳78.1

110.94%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.4

$1.15 ৳142

97.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿549

$7.45 ৳915

118.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.8

$2.05 ৳252

31.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿310

$7.22 ৳887

27.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.6

$2.36 ৳290

1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.85

$0.84 ৳103

23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.07 ৳254

-22.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.64

$0.82 ৳100

75.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.84

$0.43 ৳53.3

202.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.50

$0.80 ৳97.7

38.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.69

$0.46 ৳56.7

52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.09

$0.30 ৳36.77

70.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.84 ৳1,085

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ৳96.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ৳182

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿139

$3.01 ৳370

37.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿599

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.92

$0.40 ৳49.01

115.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿41.05

$0.84 ৳103

45.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.92

$0.59 ৳72.4

-5.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.9

$2.80 ৳344

-17.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.05 ৳129

42.86%

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

$20.9K ฿702.3K

$32.9K ৳4.0M

-36.59%

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

$26.7K ฿900.1K

$43.8K ৳5.4M

-38.93%

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

$61.3 ฿2,063

$30.48 ৳3,743

100.98%

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

$12.50 ฿421

$5.37 ৳660

132.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿686

$12.13 ৳1,490

67.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,277

$13.78 ৳1,692

175.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

$3.74 ৳459

76.47%

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

$774 ฿26.1K

$36.24 ৳4,450

2035.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿486.0K

$1,478 ৳181.5K

876.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,845

$16.16 ৳1,985

239.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿851

$19.69 ৳2,417

28.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,049

$20.07 ৳2,465

351.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,467

$35.36 ৳4,342

107.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$86.9 ৳10.7K

428.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,891

$52.2 ৳6,415

462.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

$169 ৳20.8K

442.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.6K

$116 ৳14.3K

374.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.6K

$707 ৳86.9K

171.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.6K

$1,936 ৳237.7K

-25.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

$162 ৳19.9K

266.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.32

-50.80%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Madaripur: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $86.9 in Madaripur. 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 266% 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 $12.00 in Madaripur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $113 – making Madaripur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Madaripur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 170% more than Madaripur, 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 $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $503 in Madaripur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madaripur, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $12.00 in Madaripur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 109% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Madaripur, where all-in costs run around $335, than in Chiang Mai at $906. In Madaripur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madaripur costs $335 versus $906 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 Madaripur. 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.