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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $613 in Midlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,035 in Midlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,457 in Midlands, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Midlands, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Midlands are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Midlands 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$5.96 MUR 283

-65.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$37.62 MUR 1,787

-47.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.22 MUR 343

-21.47%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.63 MUR 125

-31.18%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.15 MUR 54.5

-33.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.61 MUR 28.97

-42.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.68 MUR 127

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.85 MUR 231

-21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.61 MUR 76.4

27.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.74 MUR 35.26

104.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.15 MUR 54.5

21.74%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.58 MUR 122

-12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$5.20 MUR 247

211.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.46 MUR 307

-55.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$11.28 MUR 536

-16.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.86 MUR 136

-6.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.70 MUR 128

-59.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.45 MUR 69.0

11.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$2.95 MUR 140

-50.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.95 MUR 45.33

34.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.01 MUR 47.89

4.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.69 MUR 32.97

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.87 MUR 41.18

-39.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.51 MUR 309

-35.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$8.26 MUR 392

121.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.64 MUR 78.1

-0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.31 MUR 110

25.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$4.28 MUR 203

-72.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$3.10 MUR 147

-81.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$20.80 MUR 988

-88.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.35 MUR 64.1

7.41%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$36.8K MUR 1.8M

-42.98%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$30.9K MUR 1.5M

-14.61%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$45.44 MUR 2,159

40.07%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$10.65 MUR 506

21.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$28.64 MUR 1,360

-28.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$6.41 MUR 305

2.65%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$127 MUR 6,018

518.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$7,573 MUR 359.7K

93.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$78.8 MUR 3,744

-30.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$75.6 MUR 3,590

-67.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$120 MUR 5,700

-21.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$76.7 MUR 3,645

-3.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Midlands: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Midlands. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $219 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

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Midlands, 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 $920 in Midlands. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in Midlands. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Midlands, where all-in costs run around $613, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Midlands it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Midlands costs $613 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. 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 Midlands. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.