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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $775 in Martil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,235 in Martil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,696 in Martil, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Martil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Martil are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Martil 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.67 MAD 24.60

-27.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.64 MAD 255

-32.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.63 MAD 61.1

17.95%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.97 MAD 18.14

-1.02%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.42 MAD 3.90

102.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.40 MAD 3.66

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$5.50 MAD 50.6

-61.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.12 MAD 37.96

-9.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.83 MAD 7.66

106.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.51 MAD 4.66

219.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.96 MAD 18.04

-41.84%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.95 MAD 18.00

-1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$13.19 MAD 121

22.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.17 MAD 66.1

-56.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.74 MAD 108

-7.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.61 MAD 14.81

70.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.23 MAD 11.28

-1.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.78 MAD 7.17

107.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.81 MAD 7.45

96.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.67 MAD 6.16

108.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.66 MAD 6.10

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.39 MAD 3.63

69.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.59 MAD 5.48

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.28 MAD 39.42

9.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.11 MAD 74.7

130.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.63 MAD 24.19

-31.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.47 MAD 22.70

30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.50 MAD 4.65

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$16.34 MAD 150

17.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.53 MAD 4.91

166.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.88 MAD 8.12

46.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.43 MAD 40.82

76.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.59 MAD 14.64

-20.13%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$36.7K MAD 338.3K

-42.07%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.7K MAD 273.4K

-25.17%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$41.62 MAD 383

65.95%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.91 MAD 100

29.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$39.44 MAD 363

-54.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$24.01 MAD 221

71.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$23.25 MAD 214

-70.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.70 MAD 61.8

-11.64%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$160 MAD 1,473

87.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,471 MAD 59.6K

131.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$54.2 MAD 499

0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$49.09 MAD 452

-45.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$109 MAD 1,004

-22.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$97.8 MAD 901

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$280 MAD 2,575

53.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$176 MAD 1,618

35.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$509 MAD 4,691

57.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$305 MAD 2,810

68.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,591 MAD 14.6K

24.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$951 MAD 8,761

55.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

3.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Martil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $280 in Martil. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Martil. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $209 in Martil – so Martil 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 Martil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Martil, 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 $1,162 in Martil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $160 in Martil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $775 in Martil, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Martil costs $775 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 Martil. 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.