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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $326 in Masallatah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $549 in Masallatah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $771 in Masallatah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 164% more than Masallatah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Masallatah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Masallatah 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.67 LYD 29.78

-58.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$18.63 LYD 119

-1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.65 LYD 23.23

104.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 LYD 3.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.55

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.49 LYD 3.10

312.24%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.45 LYD 2.87

88.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.11 LYD 0.67

227.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.03 LYD 6.59

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.23 LYD 1.47

582.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.22 LYD 7.79

-2.46%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.43 LYD 9.09

35.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$4.91 LYD 31.27

229.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.36 LYD 21.39

-11.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.41 LYD 66.3

5.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.21 LYD 14.05

22.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.33 LYD 8.49

-12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.82 LYD 5.25

106.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.56 LYD 3.59

185.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.70 LYD 4.45

97.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.58 LYD 3.67

106.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.39 LYD 2.48

71.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.22 LYD 1.40

154.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.24 LYD 7.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 LYD 4.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.85 LYD 11.78

150.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.90 LYD 5.74

51.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.90 LYD 5.73

48.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.63 LYD 29.52

77.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.03 LYD 0.17

3966.67%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$13.9K LYD 88.8K

53.26%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$16.6K LYD 105.4K

36.12%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$32.25 LYD 205

119.13%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.26 LYD 52.6

69.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$22.90 LYD 146

-23.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.51 LYD 28.76

31.26%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$53.3 LYD 339

478.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$932 LYD 5,939

1495.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$21.78 LYD 139

156.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$36.00 LYD 229

-27.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$49.68 LYD 316

67.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$56.4 LYD 359

24.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Masallatah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Masallatah. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $119 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 164% 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 $1,292 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 $18.00 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 105% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $326 in Masallatah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Masallatah costs $326 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 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.