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 $1,075 in Midlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,755 in Midlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,434 in Midlands, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% 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

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.71 MUR 314

-70.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$44.01 MUR 2,059

-57.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.20 MUR 337

10.00%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.69 MUR 126

-29.00%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.95 MUR 44.31

-11.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.60 MUR 28.09

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.24 MUR 105

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.21 MUR 150

18.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.67 MUR 78.2

-1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.71 MUR 32.99

128.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.27 MUR 59.4

-7.09%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.25 MUR 105

-10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.06 MUR 564

31.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.22 MUR 291

-51.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.70 MUR 594

-15.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.04 MUR 95.5

27.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.04 MUR 95.4

-40.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.45 MUR 68.1

17.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.64 MUR 124

-40.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.99 MUR 46.22

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.93 MUR 43.36

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.84 MUR 39.31

-20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.81 MUR 37.88

-30.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.78 MUR 317

-33.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.37 MUR 392

117.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.71 MUR 80.1

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.14 MUR 100

50.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.03 MUR 48.30

-13.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.37 MUR 205

-69.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.74 MUR 128

-50.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$19.93 MUR 933

-58.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.45 MUR 68.0

-12.41%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.1K MUR 1.6M

-39.71%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.7K MUR 1.3M

-21.52%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$48.65 MUR 2,276

44.19%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$18.58 MUR 869

-25.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$33.46 MUR 1,566

-47.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$37.83 MUR 1,770

9.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.01 MUR 281

-3.83%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$152 MUR 7,117

101.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,933 MUR 184.0K

276.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$85.0 MUR 3,975

-36.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$78.3 MUR 3,664

-66.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$133 MUR 6,243

-36.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$93.9 MUR 4,391

-26.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$509 MUR 23.8K

-16.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$357 MUR 16.7K

-33.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$932 MUR 43.6K

-11.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$730 MUR 34.1K

-29.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Midlands: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $509 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 $44.00 in Midlands. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $232 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 26% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,613 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 $44.00 in Midlands. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% 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 $1,075. 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 $1,075 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.