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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,078 in Midlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,741 in Midlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,405 in Midlands, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Midlands, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Midlands are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Midlands 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.67 MUR 314

-70.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$44.23 MUR 2,083

-57.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.20 MUR 339

7.64%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.54 MUR 119

-24.41%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.95 MUR 44.91

-16.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.59 MUR 27.91

-38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.23 MUR 105

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.32 MUR 156

10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.68 MUR 79.2

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.71 MUR 33.50

129.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.32 MUR 62.1

-9.85%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.35 MUR 111

-14.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.71 MUR 551

36.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.11 MUR 288

-50.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.51 MUR 589

-13.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.99 MUR 93.6

38.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.01 MUR 94.7

-41.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.51 MUR 71.1

8.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.71 MUR 128

-43.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.99 MUR 46.48

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.93 MUR 43.70

27.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.79 MUR 37.14

-11.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.81 MUR 38.22

-30.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.50 MUR 306

-29.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.25 MUR 389

100.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.72 MUR 81.0

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.21 MUR 104

44.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.01 MUR 47.34

-12.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$4.49 MUR 211

-69.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.75 MUR 129

-51.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$20.01 MUR 942

-60.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.40 MUR 66.0

-12.14%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

-39.42%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

-22.50%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$49.38 MUR 2,325

42.85%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$18.03 MUR 849

-24.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$33.05 MUR 1,556

-47.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$37.69 MUR 1,775

9.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.89 MUR 277

-2.04%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$155 MUR 7,285

98.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,035 MUR 190.0K

262.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$86.4 MUR 4,069

-35.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$79.5 MUR 3,745

-67.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$130 MUR 6,128

-34.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$95.5 MUR 4,495

-24.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$515 MUR 24.3K

-16.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$358 MUR 16.9K

-33.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$930 MUR 43.8K

-12.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$717 MUR 33.8K

-28.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Midlands: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $515 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 – $241 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 24% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,617 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 4% 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 $869, than in Midlands at $1,078. 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 $869 versus $1,078 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.