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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $787 in Marilia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,259 in Marilia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,730 in Marilia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Marilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Marilia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Marilia 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$5.27 R$27.20

-62.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$26.82 R$138

-31.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$6.40 R$33.04

22.97%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.81 R$9.34

7.73%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.13 R$5.84

-24.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$0.63 R$3.24

-49.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.77 R$9.11

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.65 R$13.65

38.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.03 R$5.34

61.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$2.01 R$10.35

-22.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$0.97 R$5.00

22.68%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.82 R$9.38

9.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$9.00 R$46.44

80.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$3.71 R$19.13

-14.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$6.44 R$33.26

68.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$2.12 R$10.96

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$0.92 R$4.74

32.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$1.14 R$5.90

44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.50 R$7.73

3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$1.19 R$6.14

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.10 R$5.65

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.73 R$3.78

-6.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.66 R$3.38

-13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$2.11 R$10.90

121.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$7.98 R$41.20

112.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.22 R$6.30

49.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$2.01 R$10.37

58.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$0.90 R$4.67

1.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$38.95 R$201

-51.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$1.10 R$5.65

28.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$0.71 R$3.69

88.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$6.46 R$33.37

26.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$0.98 R$5.08

30.61%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$21.0K R$108.2K

4.11%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$27.5K R$142.0K

-18.60%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$61.0 R$315

15.56%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$13.70 R$70.7

2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$18.84 R$97.2

-6.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$22.14 R$114

86.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$21.43 R$111

-68.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$6.35 R$32.75

-6.14%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$267 R$1,377

13.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$6,545 R$33.8K

128.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$48.66 R$251

12.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$41.32 R$213

-36.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$76.8 R$396

11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$63.9 R$330

9.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$314 R$1,620

36.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$218 R$1,124

9.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$586 R$3,025

38.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$437 R$2,255

16.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$1,550 R$8,000

30.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$1,126 R$5,814

33.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$388 R$2,004

60.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

-54.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Marilia: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $314 in Marilia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 60% 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 $27.00 in Marilia. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $177 in Marilia – so Marilia 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 Marilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Marilia, 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,181 in Marilia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marilia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $267 in Marilia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $848 in Chiang Mai and $787 in Marilia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Marilia costs $787 versus $848 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 Marilia. 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.