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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $603 in Taza, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $977 in Taza, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,350 in Taza, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Taza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Taza are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Taza 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.77 MAD 34.84

-47.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$19.57 MAD 181

-3.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.34 MAD 58.6

22.24%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.63 MAD 15.05

17.79%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.62 MAD 5.69

27.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.40 MAD 3.75

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$5.50 MAD 50.8

-59.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.07 MAD 37.69

-10.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.86 MAD 8.00

91.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.51 MAD 4.75

219.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.90 MAD 17.54

-37.37%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.91 MAD 17.68

4.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$13.21 MAD 122

20.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.25 MAD 57.8

-51.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.99 MAD 111

-9.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.76 MAD 6.99

263.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.39 MAD 12.83

-15.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.81 MAD 7.51

102.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.57 MAD 5.28

166.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.43 MAD 3.97

220.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.46 MAD 4.23

158.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.39 MAD 3.62

79.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.63 MAD 5.79

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.26 MAD 39.41

7.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.86 MAD 72.7

110.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.52 MAD 23.29

-27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.47 MAD 22.89

29.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.40 MAD 3.69

120.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$14.13 MAD 131

32.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.54 MAD 4.98

151.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.71 MAD 6.59

88.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.81 MAD 26.01

179.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.52 MAD 14.05

-19.08%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$37.0K MAD 342.3K

-41.56%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$29.4K MAD 272.0K

-23.32%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$35.05 MAD 324

101.26%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$11.07 MAD 102

23.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$40.93 MAD 379

-57.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$16.63 MAD 154

148.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$22.98 MAD 213

-69.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.36 MAD 40.30

32.34%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$83.3 MAD 770

268.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,440 MAD 59.6K

126.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$22.15 MAD 205

151.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$25.99 MAD 240

0.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$108 MAD 995

-20.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$74.5 MAD 689

-3.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$108 MAD 998

298.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$64.7 MAD 599

268.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$222 MAD 2,055

267.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$171 MAD 1,581

198.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,577 MAD 14.6K

25.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$909 MAD 8,408

63.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$535 MAD 4,949

15.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

3.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Taza: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $108 in Taza. 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 16% 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 $20.00 in Taza. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $199 in Taza – so Taza 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 Taza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Taza, 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 $904 in Taza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $83.3 in Taza. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $603 in Taza, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Taza costs $603 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 Taza. 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.