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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $490 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $759 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,027 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 77% more than Mandalgovi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mandalgovi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Mandalgovi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.71 MNT 9,697

-28.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$13.27 MNT 47.5K

40.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

48.11%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.95 MNT 6,969

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.54 MNT 1,939

57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.30 MNT 1,083

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.65 MNT 5,887

29.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.88 MNT 6,712

98.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.15 MNT 4,127

48.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.71 MNT 2,523

129.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.00 MNT 3,593

14.00%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.80 MNT 6,449

7.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.95 MNT 32.0K

81.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.23 MNT 18.7K

-40.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$4.60 MNT 16.5K

136.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.36 MNT 8,455

16.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.22 MNT 7,947

-45.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.95 MNT 6,958

-16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.32 MNT 8,301

-31.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.50 MNT 1,801

180.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.00 MNT 3,590

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.27 MNT 4,541

-48.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.61 MNT 2,164

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.35 MNT 4,821

247.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$10.00 MNT 35.7K

86.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.34 MNT 4,804

34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.72 MNT 6,141

87.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.28 MNT 990

403.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.30 MNT 1,088

330.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.59 MNT 16.4K

70.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.82 MNT 2,929

54.88%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$19.7K MNT 70.4M

8.11%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$13.0K MNT 46.6M

70.41%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$41.71 MNT 149.1K

65.60%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$7.43 MNT 26.6K

89.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$10.61 MNT 37.9K

69.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$29.91 MNT 106.9K

37.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.47 MNT 16.0K

55.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.29 MNT 8,193

158.52%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$101 MNT 361.5K

195.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,340 MNT 22.7M

135.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$15.92 MNT 56.9K

243.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$19.05 MNT 68.1K

40.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$44.42 MNT 158.9K

91.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$35.73 MNT 127.8K

97.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$104 MNT 372.4K

311.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$72.6 MNT 259.8K

226.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$224 MNT 800.5K

258.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$133 MNT 477.2K

286.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-16.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mandalgovi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $104 in Mandalgovi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $13.00 in Mandalgovi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $187 – making Mandalgovi 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 Mandalgovi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 77% more than Mandalgovi, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $735 in Mandalgovi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mandalgovi, 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 $13.00 in Mandalgovi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $490 in Mandalgovi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mandalgovi costs $490 versus $866 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 Mandalgovi. 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.