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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,174 in Medias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,802 in Medias, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,429 in Medias, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Medias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Medias are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Medias 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$12.36 RON 56.6

-83.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$55.0 RON 252

-64.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.95 RON 36.43

-28.68%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.80 RON 17.40

-52.37%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$2.57 RON 11.77

-70.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$2.36 RON 10.80

-85.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.26 RON 14.92

-32.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.61 RON 16.52

4.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.31 RON 5.99

56.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.52 RON 6.98

-0.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.79 RON 8.20

-21.79%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.60 RON 16.50

-37.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.20 RON 42.14

75.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$7.38 RON 33.83

-60.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$13.33 RON 61.1

-29.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.56 RON 7.15

71.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.58 RON 7.22

-31.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.67 RON 7.64

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.85 RON 13.04

-48.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.81 RON 3.72

58.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.89 RON 4.08

19.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.94 RON 4.29

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.85 RON 3.91

-37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.59 RON 30.18

-35.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$7.68 RON 35.18

138.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.27 RON 5.82

28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.00 RON 9.14

45.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.75 RON 3.45

17.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$22.39 RON 103

140.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.67 RON 3.08

74.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.71 RON 3.24

-18.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$6.95 RON 31.83

-65.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.43 RON 6.55

1.40%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$29.8K RON 136.3K

-29.40%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$27.0K RON 123.7K

-2.12%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$189 RON 865

-66.27%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.31 RON 38.05

55.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$9.69 RON 44.37

111.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$39.39 RON 180

-0.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$21.47 RON 98.3

-81.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$6.77 RON 31.00

-2.81%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$464 RON 2,126

68.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$7,274 RON 33.3K

101.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$53.6 RON 246

2.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$36.85 RON 169

-32.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$78.0 RON 357

20.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$95.1 RON 436

-22.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$397 RON 1,817

23.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$295 RON 1,352

-2.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$638 RON 2,921

39.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$471 RON 2,158

10.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,908 RON 8,741

3.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,377 RON 6,309

4.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medias: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $397 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $55.0 in Medias. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $236 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 26% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,762 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $464 in Medias. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $932, than in Medias at $1,174. 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 $932 versus $1,174 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.