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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $479 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $762 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,046 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 80% more than Mandalgovi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mandalgovi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Mandalgovi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$2.66 MNT 9,536

-26.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$13.50 MNT 48.4K

35.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.46 MNT 19.6K

37.00%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.89 MNT 6,790

6.88%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.54 MNT 1,952

57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.30 MNT 1,087

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.60 MNT 5,738

33.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.97 MNT 7,047

82.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.20 MNT 4,293

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.72 MNT 2,566

118.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.01 MNT 3,613

17.82%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.73 MNT 6,214

12.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$9.04 MNT 32.4K

79.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.18 MNT 18.5K

-42.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$4.63 MNT 16.6K

136.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.34 MNT 8,370

15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.25 MNT 8,078

-48.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.89 MNT 6,763

-10.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.39 MNT 8,574

-33.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.51 MNT 1,814

170.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.02 MNT 3,647

17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.30 MNT 4,643

-48.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.60 MNT 2,157

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.34 MNT 4,819

246.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$10.55 MNT 37.8K

67.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.34 MNT 4,788

38.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.77 MNT 6,341

86.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.28 MNT 990

385.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.30 MNT 1,087

346.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.82 MNT 17.3K

70.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.77 MNT 2,764

58.44%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$19.9K MNT 71.4M

7.16%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$13.2K MNT 47.5M

70.04%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$41.07 MNT 147.2K

72.07%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$7.63 MNT 27.3K

84.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$10.39 MNT 37.2K

68.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$29.77 MNT 106.7K

41.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$4.54 MNT 16.3K

51.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$2.30 MNT 8,246

157.39%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$104 MNT 372.2K

197.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$6,450 MNT 23.1M

130.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$15.99 MNT 57.3K

248.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$19.15 MNT 68.6K

36.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$44.27 MNT 158.6K

87.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$35.75 MNT 128.1K

97.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$101 MNT 362.1K

327.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$74.3 MNT 266.3K

221.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$223 MNT 800.1K

268.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$133 MNT 477.0K

284.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mandalgovi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $101 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Mandalgovi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $189 – 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 80% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $718 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $14.00 in Mandalgovi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $479 in Mandalgovi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mandalgovi costs $479 versus $861 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.