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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,516 in Moroni, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,242 in Moroni, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,968 in Moroni, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 44% cheaper than Moroni, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Moroni is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$6.43 KMF 2,697

-69.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$19.36 KMF 8,124

-4.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$8.33 KMF 3,495

-9.96%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$1.85 KMF 777

4.32%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.05 KMF 441

-25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.70 KMF 295

-54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.05 KMF 440

104.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$1.97 KMF 826

88.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$4.58 KMF 1,920

-62.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.58 KMF 242

168.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.71 KMF 719

-30.99%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$5.12 KMF 2,148

-61.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$8.13 KMF 3,410

97.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$12.65 KMF 5,311

-13.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$5.32 KMF 2,234

-50.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.25 KMF 1,783

-63.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$4.54 KMF 1,903

-69.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$3.22 KMF 1,352

-63.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.32 KMF 974

-71.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.32 KMF 552

-61.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$17.95 KMF 7,533

2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$0.95 KMF 400

89.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$6.76 KMF 2,838

-52.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.60 KMF 252

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$32.75 KMF 13.7K

-41.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.73 KMF 305

93.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.92 KMF 386

42.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$12.28 KMF 5,155

-34.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$3.03 KMF 1,270

-57.76%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$19.7K KMF 8.3M

7.91%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$17.9K KMF 7.5M

21.48%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$115 KMF 48.2K

-39.79%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$35.13 KMF 14.7K

-60.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$75.0 KMF 31.5K

-76.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$36.00 KMF 15.1K

17.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$13.72 KMF 5,755

-51.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$6.70 KMF 2,811

-11.64%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$414 KMF 173.8K

-27.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$14.5K KMF 6.1M

2.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$62.7 KMF 26.3K

-10.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$61.4 KMF 25.8K

-56.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$114 KMF 47.7K

-25.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$87.9 KMF 36.9K

-18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$746 KMF 313.2K

-41.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$626 KMF 262.9K

-61.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,471 KMF 617.4K

-45.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,197 KMF 502.4K

-58.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,641 KMF 688.5K

21.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,398 KMF 586.5K

9.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$683 KMF 286.8K

-8.09%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Moroni: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $746 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 9% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $19 in Moroni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $288 – 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 80% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,274 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $414 in Moroni. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $845, than in Moroni at $1,516. 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 $845 versus $1,516 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.