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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $516 in Molo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $847 in Molo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,178 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 35% lower, Molo 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.37 KES 696

-63.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$38.20 KES 4,953

-50.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.68 KES 866

16.02%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.43 KES 316

-20.99%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.72 KES 93.3

9.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.50 KES 64.7

-28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.39 KES 310

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.86 KES 371

27.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.94 KES 122

75.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.53 KES 68.5

207.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.64 KES 213

-27.44%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.68 KES 218

19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.60 KES 1,504

37.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.68 KES 866

-54.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$5.77 KES 749

88.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.06 KES 397

-9.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.05 KES 136

12.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.10 KES 273

-21.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.02 KES 132

49.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.08 KES 140

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.11 KES 144

7.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.64 KES 83.0

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.75 KES 96.9

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.02 KES 392

51.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$11.46 KES 1,486

44.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.18 KES 283

-16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.75 KES 356

16.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.58 KES 205

-13.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.58 KES 204

-15.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.91 KES 378

169.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.56 KES 203

-21.15%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$21.3K KES 2.8M

1.46%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$19.7K KES 2.6M

14.36%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$34.50 KES 4,474

104.46%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$16.63 KES 2,156

-17.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$38.70 KES 5,018

-54.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.37 KES 826

-9.42%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$206 KES 26.8K

48.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$8,045 KES 1.0M

81.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$18.33 KES 2,376

204.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$24.45 KES 3,170

7.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$66.5 KES 8,625

28.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$55.6 KES 7,205

30.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

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

$388 KES 50.3K

59.40%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Molo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 59% 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 $38.00 in Molo. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $205 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $774 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 $38.00 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $516 in Molo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Molo costs $516 versus $869 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.