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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,065 in Midlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,709 in Midlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,353 in Midlands, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Midlands, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Midlands are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Midlands 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.77 MUR 317

-69.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$44.86 MUR 2,101

-58.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.07 MUR 331

11.17%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.55 MUR 119

-20.39%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.96 MUR 45.02

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.60 MUR 28.01

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.18 MUR 102

-1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.31 MUR 155

10.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.69 MUR 79.1

2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.70 MUR 32.93

124.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.28 MUR 60.1

-6.25%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.25 MUR 105

-12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$12.07 MUR 565

34.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.13 MUR 287

-50.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.49 MUR 585

-13.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.08 MUR 97.2

33.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.93 MUR 90.4

-39.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.51 MUR 70.7

13.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.64 MUR 123

-39.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.02 MUR 48.01

36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.95 MUR 44.30

22.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.85 MUR 39.64

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.75 MUR 35.09

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.76 MUR 317

-31.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.56 MUR 401

107.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.79 MUR 83.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.23 MUR 104

49.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.04 MUR 48.73

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$4.51 MUR 211

-68.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.72 MUR 128

-50.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$19.45 MUR 911

-58.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.46 MUR 68.4

-15.75%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

-39.33%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

-23.39%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$48.57 MUR 2,275

46.86%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$18.04 MUR 845

-22.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$33.05 MUR 1,548

-45.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$37.65 MUR 1,763

8.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.88 MUR 276

-2.72%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$152 MUR 7,110

103.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,018 MUR 188.2K

265.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$83.7 MUR 3,922

-33.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$79.8 MUR 3,738

-67.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$131 MUR 6,127

-35.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$96.1 MUR 4,501

-26.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$519 MUR 24.3K

-18.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$347 MUR 16.2K

-30.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$955 MUR 44.8K

-16.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$721 MUR 33.8K

-29.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Midlands: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $519 in Midlands. 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 $45.00 in Midlands. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $231 in Midlands – so Midlands 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 Midlands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Midlands costs about 25% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,598 in Midlands. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $45.00 in Midlands. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Midlands – 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 Midlands at $1,065. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Midlands it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,065 in Midlands. 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, Midlands makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.