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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $664 in Monastir, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,065 in Monastir, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,466 in Monastir, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Monastir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Monastir are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Monastir 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.80 TND 11.10

-47.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$23.76 TND 69.3

-20.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.16 TND 15.05

50.19%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.90 TND 2.61

113.33%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.75 TND 2.20

5.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.31 TND 0.91

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.71 TND 4.98

29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.81 TND 5.27

102.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.46 TND 1.34

258.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.16 TND 0.48

918.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.80 TND 5.27

-33.89%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.50 TND 4.36

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.99 TND 34.99

33.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.87 TND 17.14

-48.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$13.54 TND 39.49

-19.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.59 TND 4.65

73.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$3.16 TND 9.23

-62.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.93 TND 2.71

76.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.75 TND 2.18

102.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.75 TND 2.19

84.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.59 TND 1.72

101.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.43 TND 1.27

62.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.29 TND 0.84

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.42 TND 9.99

33.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.01 TND 14.61

230.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.20 TND 3.50

52.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.40 TND 4.09

128.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.39 TND 1.13

125.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$11.34 TND 33.09

65.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.32 TND 0.94

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.30 TND 0.89

346.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.47 TND 10.13

125.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.84 TND 2.44

46.43%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$40.6K TND 118.4K

-46.72%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$36.4K TND 106.2K

-38.05%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$59.2 TND 173

19.24%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$10.08 TND 29.41

35.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$18.18 TND 53.0

-4.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$21.16 TND 61.7

95.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.93 TND 20.22

0.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.29 TND 15.42

9.07%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$106 TND 309

189.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,177 TND 9,269

359.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$44.72 TND 130

24.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$61.8 TND 180

-57.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$111 TND 323

-22.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$83.9 TND 245

-13.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$204 TND 596

110.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$134 TND 391

78.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$465 TND 1,356

75.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$283 TND 825

80.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,259 TND 3,672

57.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$632 TND 1,843

134.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$361 TND 1,052

71.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-54.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Monastir: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $204 in Monastir. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 72% 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 $24.00 in Monastir. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $187 in Monastir – so Monastir 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 Monastir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Monastir, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $996 in Monastir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Monastir, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $106 in Monastir. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $664 in Monastir, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Monastir costs $664 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 Monastir. 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.