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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $575 in Mahdia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $864 in Mahdia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,154 in Mahdia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Mahdia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mahdia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Mahdia 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.58 TND 7.45

-24.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$20.27 TND 58.6

-7.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.34 TND 9.65

137.13%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$0.72 TND 2.07

165.28%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.56 TND 1.63

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.18 TND 0.53

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.03 TND 2.99

114.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.53 TND 4.43

148.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.40 TND 1.15

310.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.20 TND 0.59

710.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.48 TND 4.26

-20.27%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.64 TND 4.74

22.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.18 TND 32.32

42.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.80 TND 16.76

-48.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$13.50 TND 39.02

-20.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.27 TND 6.55

14.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.85 TND 8.23

-57.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.06 TND 3.06

60.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.70 TND 2.01

125.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.71 TND 2.04

85.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.35 TND 1.03

234.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.35 TND 1.02

91.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.30 TND 0.88

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.46 TND 10.00

30.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$3.52 TND 10.19

417.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.15 TND 3.32

59.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.06 TND 3.05

204.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.36 TND 1.03

147.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$10.34 TND 29.87

87.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.30 TND 0.86

350.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.26 TND 0.76

419.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$7.39 TND 21.37

11.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.76 TND 2.19

67.11%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.9K TND 103.8K

-41.11%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.6K TND 100.0K

-35.02%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$45.58 TND 132

53.91%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$9.49 TND 27.42

45.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$15.03 TND 43.44

17.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$21.14 TND 61.1

96.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$7.53 TND 21.75

-12.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.59 TND 13.26

25.93%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$110 TND 316

179.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$1,000 TND 2,890

1382.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$45.39 TND 131

19.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$33.74 TND 97.5

-22.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$103 TND 297

-17.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$23.54 TND 68.0

194.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$147 TND 424

188.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$135 TND 391

76.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$288 TND 833

186.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$164 TND 474

213.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$678 TND 1,961

202.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$207 TND 597

636.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$241 TND 697

163.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

-63.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mahdia: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $147 in Mahdia. 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 163% 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 $20.00 in Mahdia. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $180 in Mahdia – so Mahdia 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 Mahdia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Mahdia, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $862 in Mahdia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mahdia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $110 in Mahdia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $575 in Mahdia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mahdia costs $575 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 Mahdia. 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.