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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $659 in Monastir, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,083 in Monastir, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,507 in Monastir, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Monastir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Monastir are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Monastir 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.99 TND 11.52

-50.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$23.53 TND 68.0

-20.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.98 TND 14.38

59.04%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$0.91 TND 2.63

109.89%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.73 TND 2.11

15.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.29 TND 0.83

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.72 TND 4.99

28.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.84 TND 5.33

106.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.46 TND 1.33

256.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.15 TND 0.45

980.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.81 TND 5.24

-34.81%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.49 TND 4.30

34.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.16 TND 35.14

30.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.75 TND 16.62

-47.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$13.69 TND 39.58

-21.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.58 TND 4.57

65.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$3.15 TND 9.11

-61.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.96 TND 2.78

77.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.76 TND 2.21

107.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.70 TND 2.03

88.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.58 TND 1.68

101.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.46 TND 1.33

45.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.29 TND 0.83

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.46 TND 9.99

30.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.10 TND 14.74

256.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.19 TND 3.45

53.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.36 TND 3.92

137.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.38 TND 1.10

134.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$11.17 TND 32.29

73.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.32 TND 0.93

321.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.31 TND 0.89

335.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.31 TND 9.55

149.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.84 TND 2.42

51.19%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$40.0K TND 115.6K

-47.13%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$36.1K TND 104.2K

-37.63%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$57.5 TND 166

21.96%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$10.25 TND 29.62

34.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$18.66 TND 53.9

-5.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$20.43 TND 59.0

103.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$6.81 TND 19.70

-3.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.55 TND 16.03

4.14%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$105 TND 305

190.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,182 TND 9,197

365.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$46.15 TND 133

17.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$60.1 TND 174

-56.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$114 TND 329

-25.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$83.4 TND 241

-16.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$207 TND 597

105.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$133 TND 384

79.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$476 TND 1,376

73.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$276 TND 797

86.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,273 TND 3,680

60.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$633 TND 1,828

140.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$357 TND 1,032

77.93%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Monastir: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $207 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 78% 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 – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $188 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 29% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $988 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $105 in Monastir. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $659 in Monastir, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Monastir costs $659 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 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.