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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $672 in Msaken, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,076 in Msaken, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,480 in Msaken, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than Msaken, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Msaken are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Msaken 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$5.01 TND 14.66

-60.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$23.30 TND 68.2

-21.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.97 TND 14.55

50.50%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.02 TND 2.99

98.04%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.70 TND 2.04

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.29 TND 0.84

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.22 TND 3.58

75.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.64 TND 7.71

35.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.50 TND 1.47

230.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.16 TND 0.46

881.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.30 TND 3.80

-8.46%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.67 TND 4.90

16.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$12.14 TND 35.51

33.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.19 TND 18.10

-51.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$14.04 TND 41.09

-22.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.00 TND 5.87

35.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$3.15 TND 9.21

-62.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.16 TND 3.40

45.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.75 TND 2.19

113.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.71 TND 2.07

94.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.58 TND 1.70

106.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.43 TND 1.27

55.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.31 TND 0.91

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.29 TND 9.64

41.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$6.02 TND 17.60

192.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.15 TND 3.36

61.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.40 TND 4.09

135.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.35 TND 1.03

151.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$10.00 TND 29.25

93.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.31 TND 0.91

338.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.33 TND 0.97

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.49 TND 10.21

135.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.87 TND 2.55

40.23%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$41.2K TND 120.5K

-48.16%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$35.6K TND 104.1K

-36.66%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$57.8 TND 169

22.20%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.77 TND 28.58

43.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$18.81 TND 55.1

-7.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$23.44 TND 68.6

79.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$12.89 TND 37.71

-46.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.50 TND 16.09

7.64%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$106 TND 312

189.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,182 TND 9,309

367.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$42.28 TND 124

31.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$61.4 TND 180

-57.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$102 TND 298

-18.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$79.1 TND 231

-10.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$195 TND 571

121.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$133 TND 389

79.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$381 TND 1,116

115.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$269 TND 788

90.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,043 TND 3,053

83.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$632 TND 1,849

132.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$245 TND 716

136.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

-54.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Msaken: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $195 in Msaken. 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 137% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Msaken. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Msaken – so Msaken 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 Msaken: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than Msaken, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,008 in Msaken. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $106 in Msaken. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $672 in Msaken, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Msaken costs $672 versus $861 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 Msaken. 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.