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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,120 in Medias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,701 in Medias, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,283 in Medias, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 22% cheaper than Medias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Medias are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Medias 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$12.17 RON 55.1

-83.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$51.2 RON 231

-63.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.85 RON 35.50

-1.27%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.53 RON 15.99

-45.61%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.91 RON 8.66

-58.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$2.02 RON 9.13

-82.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.29 RON 14.88

-32.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.38 RON 15.30

8.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.40 RON 6.32

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.31 RON 5.90

24.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.79 RON 8.08

-33.52%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.29 RON 14.90

-39.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.82 RON 39.89

81.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.96 RON 31.49

-56.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.02 RON 54.4

-9.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.18 RON 5.32

133.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.64 RON 7.42

-28.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.62 RON 7.31

1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.49 RON 11.26

-38.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.03 RON 4.65

33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.08 RON 4.88

10.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.95 RON 4.30

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.82 RON 3.73

-31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.72 RON 25.85

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.88 RON 40.17

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.10 RON 4.96

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.65 RON 7.48

93.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.72 RON 3.27

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$19.52 RON 88.3

-4.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.76 RON 3.45

78.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.77 RON 3.48

74.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.94 RON 31.39

12.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.49 RON 6.73

-17.45%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$28.5K RON 129.0K

-24.16%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.1K RON 126.9K

-19.65%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$167 RON 756

-57.77%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.30 RON 37.54

64.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$9.15 RON 41.39

90.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$40.75 RON 184

1.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.12 RON 86.5

-63.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.83 RON 30.89

-15.52%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$453 RON 2,051

-32.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,526 RON 29.5K

123.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$66.4 RON 300

-15.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$42.48 RON 192

-38.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$97.1 RON 439

-11.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$99.2 RON 449

-27.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$392 RON 1,774

9.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$296 RON 1,338

-19.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$594 RON 2,687

37.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$438 RON 1,981

16.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,729 RON 7,819

14.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,270 RON 5,744

16.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medias: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $392 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 $51.0 in Medias. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $225 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 29% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,679 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $453 in Medias. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% 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 $869, than in Medias at $1,120. 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 $869 versus $1,120 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.