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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $775 in Martil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,222 in Martil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,670 in Martil, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Martil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Martil are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Martil 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$2.81 MAD 26.32

-30.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$27.47 MAD 257

-33.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.63 MAD 62.0

12.82%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.08 MAD 19.42

-2.88%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.43 MAD 4.01

97.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.40 MAD 3.71

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$5.46 MAD 51.1

-60.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.13 MAD 38.62

-13.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.82 MAD 7.69

101.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.48 MAD 4.47

227.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.96 MAD 18.33

-39.29%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.91 MAD 17.92

1.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$13.13 MAD 123

23.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.08 MAD 66.2

-57.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.94 MAD 112

-8.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.54 MAD 14.39

75.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.20 MAD 11.23

-2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.77 MAD 7.21

119.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.85 MAD 7.97

88.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.67 MAD 6.30

105.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.66 MAD 6.20

81.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.43 MAD 3.98

55.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.59 MAD 5.50

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.40 MAD 41.13

5.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.03 MAD 75.1

119.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.62 MAD 24.51

-29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.55 MAD 23.88

29.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.47 MAD 4.43

87.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$16.48 MAD 154

17.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.54 MAD 5.02

151.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.88 MAD 8.21

52.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.29 MAD 40.12

91.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.58 MAD 14.76

-22.78%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$37.9K MAD 354.4K

-43.63%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$29.3K MAD 274.2K

-23.12%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$41.32 MAD 387

71.03%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$10.96 MAD 103

28.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$39.75 MAD 372

-56.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$24.53 MAD 230

71.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$23.15 MAD 217

-70.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.44 MAD 60.3

-8.07%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$159 MAD 1,489

93.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,556 MAD 61.3K

126.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$52.9 MAD 495

5.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$47.85 MAD 448

-45.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$107 MAD 999

-22.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$97.3 MAD 911

-27.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$276 MAD 2,584

56.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$171 MAD 1,601

39.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$512 MAD 4,791

60.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$306 MAD 2,861

67.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,214 MAD 11.4K

57.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$905 MAD 8,466

62.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Martil: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $276 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Martil. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $208 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 11% 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 $1,292 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $159 in Martil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $861 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 $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 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.