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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $509 in Molo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $843 in Molo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,176 in Molo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 68% more than Molo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Molo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Molo 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.51 KES 713

-62.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$39.20 KES 5,067

-52.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.87 KES 888

14.41%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.45 KES 316

-17.14%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.72 KES 92.7

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.54 KES 69.5

-35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.27 KES 294

-5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.87 KES 370

27.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.92 KES 119

88.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.57 KES 73.8

175.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.59 KES 206

-24.53%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.68 KES 217

17.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.53 KES 1,490

40.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.85 KES 885

-55.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$5.46 KES 706

97.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.14 KES 406

-11.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.07 KES 138

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.14 KES 276

-20.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.06 KES 137

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.03 KES 133

34.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.12 KES 145

3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.65 KES 83.4

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.81 KES 105

-35.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.04 KES 393

52.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$11.71 KES 1,514

51.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.22 KES 287

-19.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.68 KES 346

24.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.50 KES 194

-6.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.51 KES 195

-11.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.83 KES 366

186.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.59 KES 206

-22.64%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

-1.16%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

8.05%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$34.40 KES 4,447

107.35%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$17.11 KES 2,211

-18.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$39.29 KES 5,078

-54.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.28 KES 812

-8.92%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$202 KES 26.1K

52.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$7,932 KES 1.0M

85.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$18.28 KES 2,363

205.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$24.43 KES 3,157

6.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$66.2 KES 8,560

28.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$57.0 KES 7,361

24.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

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

$390 KES 50.4K

52.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

-66.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Molo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 53% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Molo. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Molo – so Molo 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 Molo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 68% more than Molo, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. 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 $763 in Molo. 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 $39.00 in Molo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $509 in Molo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Molo costs $509 versus $852 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 Molo. 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.