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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $686 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,095 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,504 in Soroca, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Soroca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Soroca are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Soroca 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$9.01 MDL 155

-78.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$36.73 MDL 634

-48.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.74 MDL 133

2.33%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.81 MDL 31.29

5.52%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.98 MDL 16.86

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.69 MDL 11.84

-49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.80 MDL 31.00

22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.37 MDL 40.84

60.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.24 MDL 21.37

32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.52 MDL 8.94

211.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.45 MDL 25.05

-18.62%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.52 MDL 43.54

-20.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.16 MDL 175

56.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.46 MDL 94.1

-44.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$9.11 MDL 157

18.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.83 MDL 14.26

214.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.80 MDL 31.09

-32.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.72 MDL 29.63

-1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.14 MDL 37.00

-26.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.76 MDL 13.11

73.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.59 MDL 10.19

98.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.31 MDL 22.61

-48.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.89 MDL 15.41

-37.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.27 MDL 56.5

38.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.20 MDL 20.78

52.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.99 MDL 34.37

62.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.30 MDL 5.24

196.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.01 MDL 34.65

-32.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.25 MDL 4.30

440.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$5.21 MDL 89.8

58.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.42 MDL 24.56

-10.56%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$31.7K MDL 547.3K

-33.32%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$31.2K MDL 538.0K

-27.90%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$172 MDL 2,960

-59.12%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$7.49 MDL 129

83.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$10.85 MDL 187

62.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.79 MDL 134

-25.80%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$393 MDL 6,785

-22.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,574 MDL 130.7K

95.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$65.5 MDL 1,130

-17.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$54.5 MDL 941

-52.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$111 MDL 1,922

-24.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$124 MDL 2,134

-43.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$530 MDL 9,144

19.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

-45.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Soroca: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 20% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $37.00 in Soroca. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $181 in Soroca – so Soroca 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 Soroca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Soroca, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,029 in Soroca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $37.00 in Soroca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $686 in Soroca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Soroca costs $686 versus $852 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 Soroca. 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.