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 $698 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,095 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,493 in Soroca, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 22% 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 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$8.55 MDL 150

-76.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$37.21 MDL 653

-49.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$7.79 MDL 137

0.90%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$1.81 MDL 31.78

12.15%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.92 MDL 16.06

-13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.66 MDL 11.54

-46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.77 MDL 31.06

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.28 MDL 39.96

60.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.24 MDL 21.74

39.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.56 MDL 9.89

180.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.45 MDL 25.43

-17.24%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.61 MDL 45.77

-24.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$10.24 MDL 180

58.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.38 MDL 94.4

-43.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$8.72 MDL 153

23.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$0.89 MDL 15.66

211.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.84 MDL 32.33

-36.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.71 MDL 30.03

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$2.10 MDL 36.82

-24.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.82 MDL 14.31

69.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.58 MDL 10.22

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$1.35 MDL 23.68

-51.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.88 MDL 15.43

-40.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.18 MDL 55.7

46.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.25 MDL 21.99

43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.00 MDL 35.07

67.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.28 MDL 4.87

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$2.08 MDL 36.55

-32.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.27 MDL 4.78

396.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$5.28 MDL 92.6

53.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.36 MDL 23.89

-9.56%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$32.2K MDL 565.6K

-33.52%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$31.5K MDL 552.8K

-30.75%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$174 MDL 3,056

-59.05%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$7.54 MDL 132

85.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$10.67 MDL 187

68.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.51 MDL 132

-23.83%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$395 MDL 6,924

-21.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$7,481 MDL 131.2K

96.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$66.2 MDL 1,162

-15.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$52.8 MDL 925

-50.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$112 MDL 1,967

-24.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$124 MDL 2,180

-42.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$516 MDL 9,046

15.39%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Soroca: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 15% 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 – $244 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 22% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,046 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 $698 in Soroca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Soroca costs $698 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.