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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $327 in Masallatah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $539 in Masallatah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $751 in Masallatah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 165% more than Masallatah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Masallatah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Masallatah 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$4.64 LYD 29.53

-58.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$18.71 LYD 119

-0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.56 LYD 22.67

119.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 LYD 4.25

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.51 LYD 3.26

282.35%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.45 LYD 2.89

88.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.12 LYD 0.78

191.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.99 LYD 6.27

72.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.23 LYD 1.47

608.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.25 LYD 7.92

-8.80%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.50 LYD 9.52

28.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.92 LYD 31.30

229.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.28 LYD 20.86

-4.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.27 LYD 65.3

6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.21 LYD 14.03

24.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.34 LYD 8.55

-9.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.76 LYD 4.84

113.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.52 LYD 3.30

205.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.65 LYD 4.15

115.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.53 LYD 3.34

120.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.39 LYD 2.47

69.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.20 LYD 1.27

165.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.24 LYD 7.90

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 LYD 4.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.81 LYD 11.50

159.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.96 LYD 6.11

46.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.90 LYD 5.70

43.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.63 LYD 29.42

69.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.03 LYD 0.20

4133.33%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$13.9K LYD 88.3K

53.28%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$16.4K LYD 104.4K

35.32%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$32.39 LYD 206

113.24%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.32 LYD 52.9

69.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$23.39 LYD 149

-23.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.62 LYD 29.37

28.14%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$51.9 LYD 330

476.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$916 LYD 5,828

1531.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$21.61 LYD 137

153.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$34.89 LYD 222

-23.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$50.4 LYD 320

68.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$55.5 LYD 353

27.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

-71.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Masallatah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Masallatah. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $117 in Masallatah – so Masallatah 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 Masallatah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 165% more than Masallatah, 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 $490 in Masallatah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 in Masallatah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 111% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $327 in Masallatah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Masallatah costs $327 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 Masallatah. 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.