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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $673 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,069 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,466 in Soroca, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Soroca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Soroca are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Soroca 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$8.58 MDL 148

-76.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$35.92 MDL 620

-47.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.78 MDL 134

-0.39%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.79 MDL 30.91

7.26%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.92 MDL 15.89

-14.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.65 MDL 11.26

-44.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.71 MDL 29.51

29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.36 MDL 40.79

55.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.23 MDL 21.23

34.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.51 MDL 8.88

219.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.44 MDL 24.84

-17.36%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.51 MDL 43.34

-20.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.53 MDL 182

51.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.51 MDL 95.2

-45.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.75 MDL 151

24.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.90 MDL 15.55

206.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.77 MDL 30.64

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.72 MDL 29.75

-4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.06 MDL 35.65

-26.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.76 MDL 13.14

81.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.59 MDL 10.18

101.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.36 MDL 23.55

-48.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.84 MDL 14.51

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.13 MDL 54.0

46.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.28 MDL 22.05

42.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.97 MDL 33.95

62.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.28 MDL 4.80

214.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.04 MDL 35.22

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.25 MDL 4.27

436.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.41 MDL 93.4

44.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.37 MDL 23.74

-10.22%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.0K MDL 552.6K

-32.42%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$30.9K MDL 534.5K

-27.15%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$171 MDL 2,960

-58.84%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$7.37 MDL 127

85.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$10.94 MDL 189

59.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.79 MDL 135

-25.93%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$385 MDL 6,653

-20.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,592 MDL 131.1K

92.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$65.0 MDL 1,122

-14.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$53.0 MDL 915

-50.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$113 MDL 1,947

-23.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$123 MDL 2,126

-41.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$516 MDL 8,919

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Soroca: June 8, 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 $36.00 in Soroca. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $180 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 29% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,010 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 $36.00 in Soroca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $673 in Soroca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Soroca costs $673 versus $869 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.