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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $635 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,067 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,500 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than Mandalgovi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Mandalgovi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Mandalgovi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.59 MNT 20.1K

-62.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$32.55 MNT 117.0K

-39.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$5.52 MNT 19.8K

4.89%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.37 MNT 8,528

-22.78%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.85 MNT 3,042

-8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.57 MNT 2,050

-45.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.30 MNT 8,268

1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.34 MNT 12.0K

10.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.45 MNT 5,198

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.99 MNT 3,544

61.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$2.08 MNT 7,490

-31.73%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.16 MNT 7,775

0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$12.31 MNT 44.3K

29.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.78 MNT 17.2K

-35.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.10 MNT 25.5K

39.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.16 MNT 11.4K

-16.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.34 MNT 8,428

-52.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$3.77 MNT 13.5K

-56.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.10 MNT 11.2K

-50.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.76 MNT 2,745

63.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.04 MNT 3,738

8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.74 MNT 6,263

-57.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.78 MNT 2,810

-35.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.71 MNT 6,138

150.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$10.53 MNT 37.9K

70.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.44 MNT 5,189

18.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.82 MNT 6,539

59.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.50 MNT 1,813

146.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.57 MNT 2,050

-7.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$6.47 MNT 23.2K

-62.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.07 MNT 3,857

34.58%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$27.0K MNT 97.0M

-21.46%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$34.3K MNT 123.4M

-20.43%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$70.2 MNT 252.2K

-7.44%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$7.50 MNT 27.0K

78.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$13.57 MNT 48.8K

53.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.08 MNT 14.7K

64.46%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$805 MNT 2.9M

-2.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$8,452 MNT 30.4M

78.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$81.9 MNT 294.6K

-31.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$44.67 MNT 160.6K

-44.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$102 MNT 366.9K

-9.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$185 MNT 666.8K

-59.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.32

-46.03%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mandalgovi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Mandalgovi. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $237 in Mandalgovi – so Mandalgovi 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 Mandalgovi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than Mandalgovi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $952 in Mandalgovi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $33.00 in Mandalgovi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 Mandalgovi, where all-in costs run around $635, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Mandalgovi 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. Mandalgovi costs $635 versus $950 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.