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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,128 in Medias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,718 in Medias, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,307 in Medias, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Medias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Medias are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Medias 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$12.38 RON 56.3

-83.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$50.3 RON 228

-62.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.13 RON 36.97

-3.32%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.40 RON 15.46

-40.29%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.90 RON 8.66

-57.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.07 RON 9.40

-83.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.20 RON 14.54

-33.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.36 RON 15.27

9.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.35 RON 6.13

28.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.34 RON 6.10

17.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.78 RON 8.11

-32.58%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.35 RON 15.25

-41.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.43 RON 38.31

92.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.82 RON 30.99

-55.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.98 RON 54.5

-9.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.19 RON 5.39

132.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.65 RON 7.51

-29.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.61 RON 7.30

6.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.43 RON 11.06

-34.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.00 RON 4.53

39.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.03 RON 4.70

12.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.87 RON 3.94

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.80 RON 3.63

-35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.97 RON 27.13

-22.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.76 RON 35.29

129.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.14 RON 5.18

57.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.65 RON 7.50

102.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.72 RON 3.29

26.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$19.59 RON 89.1

-4.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.71 RON 3.22

98.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.81 RON 3.68

65.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.03 RON 31.97

15.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.52 RON 6.90

-19.08%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$28.2K RON 128.1K

-23.90%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$27.5K RON 125.0K

-20.63%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$162 RON 734

-55.84%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.03 RON 36.49

74.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$8.94 RON 40.63

100.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$41.32 RON 188

-1.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$19.14 RON 87.0

-64.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.01 RON 31.88

-18.40%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$452 RON 2,055

-31.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,675 RON 30.3K

119.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$68.0 RON 309

-18.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$43.75 RON 199

-40.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$95.5 RON 434

-11.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$100 RON 456

-29.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$389 RON 1,771

8.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$286 RON 1,302

-15.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$584 RON 2,654

36.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$444 RON 2,017

14.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,806 RON 8,210

6.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,280 RON 5,821

14.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

-35.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medias: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $389 in Medias. 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 $50.0 in Medias. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $220 in Medias – so Medias 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 Medias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medias costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,692 in Medias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $452 in Medias. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Medias – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Medias at $1,128. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medias it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,128 in Medias. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medias makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.