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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $653 in Maracay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,148 in Maracay, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,643 in Maracay, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Maracay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Maracay are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Maracay 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$11.76 VES 6,574

-83.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$56.0 VES 31.3K

-66.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$7.21 VES 4,031

8.46%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.35 VES 756

44.44%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.22 VES 684

-30.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.97 VES 540

-63.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.47 VES 824

44.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.95 VES 1,087

91.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.80 VES 1,003

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$2.67 VES 1,490

-38.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.03 VES 575

10.68%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.19 VES 1,226

-11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.67 VES 3,728

143.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.63 VES 3,150

-44.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.33 VES 4,099

48.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$4.02 VES 2,248

-31.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.87 VES 1,048

-35.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.26 VES 1,265

-28.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$2.06 VES 1,152

-22.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$2.62 VES 1,462

-46.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$2.05 VES 1,148

-42.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.36 VES 758

-51.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.87 VES 1,046

-71.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.44 VES 1,365

92.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$10.13 VES 5,665

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.12 VES 627

60.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.78 VES 996

81.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.29 VES 160

210.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$2.95 VES 1,647

-52.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$2.74 VES 1,533

-52.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.90 VES 5,534

-20.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.49 VES 274

159.18%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$24.6K VES 13.7M

-13.42%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$40.2K VES 22.5M

-44.71%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$10.09 VES 5,638

584.54%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$12.84 VES 7,178

9.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$39.35 VES 22.0K

-54.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$52.5 VES 29.4K

-21.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.57 VES 1,995

65.83%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$130 VES 72.6K

130.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$5,571 VES 3.1M

168.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$24.75 VES 13.8K

121.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$30.04 VES 16.8K

-10.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$79.1 VES 44.2K

7.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$99.8 VES 55.8K

-29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$455 VES 254.6K

333.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$199 VES 111.1K

642.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$179 VES 99.9K

245.50%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Maracay: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 246% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $56.0 in Maracay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $248 – 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 33% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $980 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $56.0 in Maracay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $653 in Maracay, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maracay costs $653 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 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.