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 $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $570 in Mahdia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $903 in Mahdia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,236 in Mahdia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Mahdia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mahdia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Mahdia 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$2.49 TND 7.17

-15.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$20.18 TND 58.2

-2.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$4.86 TND 14.01

20.37%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$0.99 TND 2.84

77.78%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.63 TND 1.82

17.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.19 TND 0.54

73.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$1.04 TND 3.01

137.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$1.51 TND 4.36

156.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$0.43 TND 1.24

341.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$0.29 TND 0.84

475.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.36 TND 3.91

-0.74%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.62 TND 4.66

32.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$11.80 TND 34.01

34.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$5.07 TND 14.61

-44.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$14.79 TND 42.65

-28.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$2.32 TND 6.70

2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$2.92 TND 8.43

-63.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.48 TND 4.26

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$0.76 TND 2.18

97.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$0.60 TND 1.73

113.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$0.32 TND 0.93

243.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.45 TND 1.28

53.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.35 TND 1.02

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.39 TND 9.77

25.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$3.36 TND 9.68

399.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.65 TND 4.75

0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$1.33 TND 3.83

111.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$0.33 TND 0.95

172.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

$13.73 TND 39.59

299.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$0.30 TND 0.86

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$0.28 TND 0.81

92.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$0.89 TND 2.56

60.67%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$41.0K TND 118.1K

-48.54%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$40.2K TND 115.8K

-32.43%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$57.3 TND 165

12.98%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$5.65 TND 16.30

133.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$23.39 TND 67.4

-16.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$21.44 TND 61.8

84.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

$7.77 TND 22.41

-51.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$6.78 TND 19.54

-2.36%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$113 TND 325

613.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$1,035 TND 2,985

1360.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$39.88 TND 115

37.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$34.63 TND 99.8

-26.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$79.3 TND 229

15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$23.98 TND 69.1

211.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$130 TND 375

258.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$103 TND 297

173.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$306 TND 883

190.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$180 TND 518

190.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$679 TND 1,959

192.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$208 TND 600

601.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$242 TND 698

144.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.33

-46.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Mahdia: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $130 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 145% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in Mahdia. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $189 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 61% 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $855 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 $805 per month in Chiang Mai and $113 in Mahdia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mahdia, where all-in costs run around $570, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Mahdia 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. Mahdia costs $570 versus $920 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.