Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Monrovia

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,282 in Monrovia, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. The total is higher in Monrovia despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Monrovia
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Monrovia Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Monrovia

🇱🇷 Liberia

$1,282

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Monrovia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Monrovia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,282 in Monrovia, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Monrovia $1,282

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,894 in Monrovia, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Monrovia $1,894

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,506 in Monrovia, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Monrovia $2,506

Chiang Mai is about 27% cheaper than Monrovia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Monrovia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Monrovia 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$7.42 LRD 1,258

-71.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$10.84 LRD 1,837

-48.34%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$3.05 LRD 516

-45.57%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$2.03 LRD 344

-67.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$1.97 LRD 334

-84.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$4.09 LRD 693

-43.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.02 LRD 512

21.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.10 LRD 355

-3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$1.74 LRD 295

-18.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$5.11 LRD 865

-72.80%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$3.56 LRD 602

-33.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$7.80 LRD 1,322

111.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$11.62 LRD 1,968

-77.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$14.02 LRD 2,375

-35.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.66 LRD 281

44.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$8.49 LRD 1,439

-87.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$10.13 LRD 1,715

-83.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$10.82 LRD 1,833

-85.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$2.22 LRD 376

-44.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$10.82 LRD 1,832

-89.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$4.73 LRD 801

-83.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$1.97 LRD 334

-74.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$5.07 LRD 859

-18.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$6.95 LRD 1,177

157.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$2.55 LRD 431

-36.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$3.53 LRD 599

-20.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$2.97 LRD 504

-68.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

$20.30 LRD 3,439

160.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$2.06 LRD 349

-42.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$1.81 LRD 306

-90.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$25.48 LRD 4,317

-92.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$1.25 LRD 212

17.60%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$20.2K LRD 3.4M

3.77%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$14.7K LRD 2.5M

79.97%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$152 LRD 25.8K

-58.97%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$22.35 LRD 3,787

-48.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$177 LRD 29.9K

-88.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$62.1 LRD 10.5K

-38.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$9.87 LRD 1,671

-62.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$5.11 LRD 865

27.40%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$101 LRD 17.1K

621.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$991 LRD 167.9K

1572.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$25.23 LRD 4,275

112.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$32.55 LRD 5,514

-23.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$54.1 LRD 9,163

67.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$93.0 LRD 15.7K

-22.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$253 LRD 42.8K

90.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$96.8 LRD 16.4K

220.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$641 LRD 108.6K

65.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$269 LRD 45.5K

145.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$711 LRD 120.5K

-16.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Monrovia: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Monrovia

$97 7.6% 68.8% $213

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Monrovia

$455 35.5% 92.3% $218

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Monrovia

$92 7.2% 14.9% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Monrovia

$351 27.4% 272% $257

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Monrovia

$171 13.3% 123% $94

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Monrovia

$43 3.4% 26.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Monrovia

$72 5.6% 42% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $253 in Monrovia. 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 20% higher in Monrovia, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇱🇷 Monrovia

🕒 Local time

02:20 2:20 AM

19:20 7:20 PM

7 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,010,970 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Liberian Dollar LRD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1,000 LRD = 5.9 USD

1,000 LRD = 5.24 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LRD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Liberian Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 169 LRD (1,000 LRD = 5.9 USD). 1 EUR = 191 LRD (1,000 LRD = 5.24 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Monrovia 11,840 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Monrovia

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Monrovia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monrovia costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,923 in Monrovia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Monrovia, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $253 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Monrovia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 92% more in Monrovia, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,282 in Monrovia. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,282 in Monrovia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Monrovia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.