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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,750 in Marsta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,757 in Marsta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,764 in Marsta, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 50% cheaper than Marsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Marsta is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$13.33 SEK 125

-85.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$67.3 SEK 631

-72.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$10.69 SEK 100

-27.50%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.70 SEK 44.09

-59.15%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$2.14 SEK 20.07

-63.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.88 SEK 17.60

-80.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$7.29 SEK 68.4

-69.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.21 SEK 67.6

-49.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.85 SEK 17.39

-10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.16 SEK 29.64

-48.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$3.98 SEK 37.34

-70.10%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.76 SEK 35.25

-46.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$14.19 SEK 133

12.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$9.73 SEK 91.3

-68.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$15.83 SEK 149

-31.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.52 SEK 32.99

-21.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.57 SEK 24.15

-54.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$3.21 SEK 30.14

-48.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$3.87 SEK 36.27

-60.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.55 SEK 14.52

-10.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.62 SEK 15.19

-26.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.68 SEK 25.16

-73.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.74 SEK 16.33

-67.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$7.30 SEK 68.5

-37.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$10.65 SEK 99.9

55.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.71 SEK 16.08

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.91 SEK 17.90

67.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$4.25 SEK 39.86

-79.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$99.1 SEK 929

-81.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$12.07 SEK 113

-88.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.64 SEK 15.42

-18.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$58.6 SEK 549

-86.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.98 SEK 18.60

-37.88%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.7K SEK 306.4K

-33.79%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.4K SEK 323.2K

-34.55%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$88.8 SEK 833

-20.60%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$27.88 SEK 262

-50.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$36.73 SEK 345

-52.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$28.68 SEK 269

44.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$25.49 SEK 239

-72.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$15.77 SEK 148

-63.41%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$145 SEK 1,358

112.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$746 SEK 6,999

1858.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$78.4 SEK 735

-28.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$43.16 SEK 405

-39.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$99.8 SEK 936

-14.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$107 SEK 1,001

-32.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$831 SEK 7,800

-48.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$644 SEK 6,036

-62.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,414 SEK 13.3K

-42.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,081 SEK 10.1K

-52.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$4,574 SEK 42.9K

-56.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$2,555 SEK 24.0K

-41.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$4,884 SEK 45.8K

-87.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

10.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Marsta: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $831 in Marsta. 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 689% higher in Marsta, 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 $67.0 in Marsta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $358 – 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 Marsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marsta costs about 101% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,625 in Marsta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $145 in Marsta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Marsta, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Marsta at $1,750. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marsta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,750 in Marsta. 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, Marsta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.