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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,482 in Moroni, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,197 in Moroni, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,912 in Moroni, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 42% cheaper than Moroni, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Moroni is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.52 KMF 2,791

-68.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$19.41 KMF 8,302

-3.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.08 KMF 3,457

-2.72%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.85 KMF 793

9.73%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.05 KMF 447

-23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.69 KMF 295

-49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.10 KMF 473

94.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.91 KMF 819

92.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$4.47 KMF 1,914

-61.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.61 KMF 263

157.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.78 KMF 760

-32.58%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$5.06 KMF 2,167

-61.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.04 KMF 3,439

101.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.62 KMF 5,399

-14.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$5.33 KMF 2,282

-48.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.20 KMF 1,799

-62.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$4.69 KMF 2,005

-70.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$3.27 KMF 1,400

-64.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.33 KMF 996

-71.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.32 KMF 563

-60.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$17.22 KMF 7,367

3.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.00 KMF 429

79.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$6.90 KMF 2,952

-51.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.61 KMF 259

49.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$32.92 KMF 14.1K

-43.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.68 KMF 292

107.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.94 KMF 404

42.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$12.14 KMF 5,193

-33.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$3.08 KMF 1,316

-60.06%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$19.8K KMF 8.5M

8.11%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$17.8K KMF 7.6M

22.32%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$115 KMF 49.1K

-37.88%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$35.64 KMF 15.2K

-60.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$75.4 KMF 32.3K

-76.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$35.87 KMF 15.3K

13.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$13.72 KMF 5,868

-49.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.74 KMF 2,885

-15.13%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$416 KMF 178.0K

-25.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$14.6K KMF 6.3M

0.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$63.5 KMF 27.2K

-12.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$63.2 KMF 27.0K

-58.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$115 KMF 49.0K

-25.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$86.6 KMF 37.1K

-18.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$748 KMF 320.1K

-43.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$626 KMF 267.7K

-61.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,448 KMF 619.6K

-44.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,193 KMF 510.4K

-57.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,561 KMF 668.0K

22.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,363 KMF 582.9K

7.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$675 KMF 288.9K

-11.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

31.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Moroni: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $748 in Moroni. 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 13% higher in Moroni, 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 $19.00 in Moroni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $287 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Moroni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moroni costs about 74% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $2,223 in Moroni. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $416 in Moroni. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Moroni, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Moroni at $1,482. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moroni it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,482 in Moroni. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moroni makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.