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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $762 in Moca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,165 in Moca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,567 in Moca, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Moca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Moca are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Moca 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.71 DOP 508

-77.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$51.2 DOP 2,984

-63.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.58 DOP 442

3.17%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.71 DOP 158

-28.04%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.03 DOP 60.1

-17.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.77 DOP 45.06

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.62 DOP 153

-18.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.03 DOP 293

-25.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.07 DOP 62.6

59.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.32 DOP 77.1

23.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.56 DOP 90.9

-26.92%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.34 DOP 78.3

44.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.62 DOP 386

144.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.46 DOP 377

-51.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.16 DOP 651

-2.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.18 DOP 185

-13.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.58 DOP 33.55

108.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.03 DOP 177

-46.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.91 DOP 53.3

74.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.57 DOP 150

-45.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.85 DOP 108

-36.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.13 DOP 65.9

-41.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.97 DOP 56.4

-45.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.78 DOP 337

-18.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$10.62 DOP 620

75.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.72 DOP 159

-33.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.16 DOP 184

2.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$3.47 DOP 202

-59.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.21 DOP 129

-41.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.08 DOP 355

28.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.32 DOP 76.9

-3.79%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-20.91%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

-28.73%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$22.40 DOP 1,306

208.35%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$25.15 DOP 1,467

-44.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$25.63 DOP 1,495

-29.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$22.05 DOP 1,286

86.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.62 DOP 386

-10.57%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$271 DOP 15.8K

10.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$8,018 DOP 467.7K

86.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$59.0 DOP 3,441

-7.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$51.7 DOP 3,014

-48.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$97.1 DOP 5,664

-12.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$116 DOP 6,737

-38.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$120 DOP 6,995

97.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

-61.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Moca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Moca. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Moca – so Moca 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 Moca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Moca, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,143 in Moca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $51.0 in Moca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $762 in Moca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Moca costs $762 versus $866 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 Moca. 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.