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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,716 in Most, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,465 in Most, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,213 in Most, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 45% cheaper than Most, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Most is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$9.76 Kč 203

-78.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$45.30 Kč 941

-56.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$9.89 Kč 206

-42.87%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$2.93 Kč 61.0

-38.23%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$1.21 Kč 25.20

-41.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$1.42 Kč 29.51

-77.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$1.45 Kč 30.24

54.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.21 Kč 66.7

13.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.09 Kč 22.72

79.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.46 Kč 30.44

2.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$2.43 Kč 50.6

-44.86%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$3.94 Kč 81.8

-42.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$13.50 Kč 281

20.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$9.53 Kč 198

-69.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$17.33 Kč 360

-42.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.91 Kč 39.73

34.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.87 Kč 38.88

-43.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.17 Kč 45.00

-25.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$2.08 Kč 43.19

-26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.11 Kč 23.07

14.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$1.09 Kč 22.74

-1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$1.68 Kč 34.84

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.79 Kč 16.42

-35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$6.99 Kč 145

-40.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$7.31 Kč 152

144.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$0.93 Kč 19.37

81.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$1.71 Kč 35.53

66.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$1.18 Kč 24.62

-21.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$25.88 Kč 538

108.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$2.85 Kč 59.3

-56.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.91 Kč 39.68

-69.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$17.58 Kč 365

-86.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.72 Kč 35.83

-18.02%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$32.9K Kč 684.0K

-34.84%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$31.2K Kč 648.6K

-12.40%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$306 Kč 6,352

-79.16%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$23.80 Kč 495

-46.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$20.20 Kč 420

0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$58.4 Kč 1,214

-33.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$17.90 Kč 372

-77.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$7.23 Kč 150

-6.78%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$780 Kč 16.2K

-0.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$12.0K Kč 249.6K

21.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$91.6 Kč 1,905

-40.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$38.73 Kč 805

-34.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$109 Kč 2,261

-13.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$127 Kč 2,641

-42.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$751 Kč 15.6K

-34.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$633 Kč 13.2K

-54.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,272 Kč 26.4K

-29.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$971 Kč 20.2K

-46.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$4,175 Kč 86.8K

-53.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$3,645 Kč 75.8K

-59.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$1,195 Kč 24.8K

-49.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.64

20.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Most: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $751 in Most. 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 98% higher in Most, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Most. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $275 – 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 Most: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Most costs about 81% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,574 in Most. 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $780 in Most. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Most, 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 $947, than in Most at $1,716. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Most it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,716 in Most. 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, Most makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.