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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $915 in Marabella, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,603 in Marabella, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,290 in Marabella, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Marabella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Marabella are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Marabella 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$10.41 TTD 69.7

-81.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$87.2 TTD 584

-78.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.49 TTD 50.2

4.41%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.72 TTD 24.93

-47.58%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.05 TTD 7.05

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.84 TTD 5.60

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.88 TTD 12.58

13.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.08 TTD 20.65

21.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.66 TTD 17.84

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.79 TTD 18.68

-41.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.66 TTD 17.81

-57.14%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$5.13 TTD 34.34

-62.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.04 TTD 53.9

101.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$10.20 TTD 68.4

-69.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$14.50 TTD 97.1

-24.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$5.73 TTD 38.39

-52.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.62 TTD 17.58

-53.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$4.35 TTD 29.11

-62.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.65 TTD 31.17

-65.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.43 TTD 9.56

-2.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.67 TTD 11.17

-29.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.96 TTD 13.12

-66.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.47 TTD 9.85

-63.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.08 TTD 40.74

-22.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$18.68 TTD 125

-0.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.13 TTD 14.29

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.71 TTD 18.13

19.19%

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

$1.01 TTD 6.75

39.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.26 TTD 8.45

2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$14.86 TTD 99.6

-47.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.10 TTD 7.37

15.45%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$34.0K TTD 228.1K

-37.50%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$37.9K TTD 253.9K

-41.40%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$78.6 TTD 527

-12.16%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$47.50 TTD 318

-70.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$62.9 TTD 421

-71.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$9.91 TTD 66.4

-40.26%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$328 TTD 2,195

-8.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,316 TTD 49.0K

104.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$59.8 TTD 400

-8.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$38.92 TTD 261

-31.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$146 TTD 978

-41.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$126 TTD 842

-43.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

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 %)

5.38

-7.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Marabella: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $87.0 in Marabella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $376 – making Chiang Mai 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 Marabella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marabella costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,373 in Marabella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $87.0 in Marabella. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Marabella, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $915 in Marabella, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $915 in Marabella. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marabella makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.