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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $642 in Maracay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,125 in Maracay, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,608 in Maracay, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than Maracay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Maracay are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Maracay 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$11.97 VES 8,796

-83.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$54.7 VES 40.2K

-66.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.35 VES 5,401

1.77%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.34 VES 985

50.75%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.23 VES 904

-30.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.02 VES 751

-64.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.54 VES 1,134

38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.02 VES 1,487

77.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.82 VES 1,335

-9.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.71 VES 1,991

-42.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.07 VES 790

11.21%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.23 VES 1,641

-13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.81 VES 5,004

137.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.46 VES 4,014

-45.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.37 VES 5,416

48.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.91 VES 2,876

-30.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.86 VES 1,369

-37.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.17 VES 1,596

-22.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.05 VES 1,509

-21.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.64 VES 1,943

-47.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.14 VES 1,573

-43.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.29 VES 951

-48.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.90 VES 1,400

-70.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.54 VES 1,864

82.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$9.82 VES 7,217

79.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.17 VES 861

58.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.73 VES 1,270

90.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.31 VES 230

183.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.94 VES 2,158

-53.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$2.77 VES 2,038

-51.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$10.14 VES 7,452

-19.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.51 VES 375

139.22%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$24.9K VES 18.3M

-14.35%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$39.6K VES 29.1M

-43.05%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$10.06 VES 7,398

602.49%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$13.14 VES 9,658

6.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$39.46 VES 29.0K

-55.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$53.0 VES 39.0K

-20.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.55 VES 2,606

66.76%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$130 VES 95.9K

136.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$5,448 VES 4.0M

173.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$24.53 VES 18.0K

127.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$29.53 VES 21.7K

-11.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$79.5 VES 58.4K

4.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$102 VES 74.9K

-30.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$444 VES 326.0K

331.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$203 VES 149.0K

623.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$179 VES 131.5K

223.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.33

-76.56%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maracay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 224% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $55.0 in Maracay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $247 – 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 Maracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than Maracay, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $963 in Maracay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $55.0 in Maracay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $642 in Maracay, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maracay costs $642 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 Maracay. 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.