Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mary

For one person, living is cheaper in Mary: $468 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Mary

🇹🇲 Turkmenistan

$468

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Mary

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Mary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $468 in Mary, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Mary $468

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $710 in Mary, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Mary $710

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $951 in Mary, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Mary $951

Chiang Mai costs about 98% more than Mary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Mary are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Mary 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$11.49 TMT 38.59

-80.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$8.49 TMT 28.51

-33.92%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$8.38 TMT 28.17

-80.19%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$12.61 TMT 42.36

-94.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$1.40 TMT 4.71

-77.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$14.55 TMT 48.90

-83.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$11.63 TMT 39.07

-68.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$2.91 TMT 9.78

-32.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$6.95 TMT 23.34

-68.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$2.22 TMT 7.45

7.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.45 TMT 4.88

3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.95 TMT 6.56

-33.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.70 TMT 5.70

-34.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$1.16 TMT 3.88

-54.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$16.79 TMT 56.4

-74.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.11 ฿405

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

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

$793 ฿26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$212 TMT 712

178.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Mary: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Mary

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Mary

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Mary

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Mary

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Mary

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Mary

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Mary

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 179% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇲 Mary

🕒 Local time

00:13 12:13 AM

22:13 10:13 PM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

123,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Turkmenistani Manat TMT m

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 TMT = 0.298 USD

1 TMT = 0.265 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TMT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Turkmenistani Manat exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 3.36 TMT (1 TMT = 0.298 USD). 1 EUR = 3.78 TMT (1 TMT = 0.265 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Mary 4,160 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Mary

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 98% more than Mary, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $703 in Mary. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Chiang Mai and $468 in Mary. That's a gap of about 98%.

Groceries cost about 139% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mary, where all-in costs run around $468, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Mary it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mary costs $468 versus $925 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 Mary. 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.