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 $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $561 in Taza, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $910 in Taza, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,258 in Taza, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 62% more than Taza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Taza are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Taza 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$3.73 MAD 37.28

-42.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿653

$18.00 MAD 180

7.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$6.13 MAD 61.2

-10.77%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.7

$1.58 MAD 15.75

6.33%

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

$0.66 ฿22.22

$0.55 MAD 5.50

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.58

$0.37 MAD 3.66

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.5

$5.33 MAD 53.3

-54.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿126

$3.17 MAD 31.68

17.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.3

$0.86 MAD 8.57

139.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.06

$0.51 MAD 5.06

186.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.34

$1.90 MAD 18.96

-28.95%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.4

$1.90 MAD 18.93

19.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿549

$11.27 MAD 113

44.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.8

$6.04 MAD 60.3

-55.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿310

$12.03 MAD 120

-23.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.6

$0.69 MAD 6.94

246.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.85

$1.39 MAD 13.86

-25.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.74 MAD 7.43

116.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.64

$0.54 MAD 5.38

166.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.84

$0.41 MAD 4.07

217.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.50

$0.44 MAD 4.34

152.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.69

$0.37 MAD 3.72

89.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.09

$0.58 MAD 5.83

-12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿139

$4.13 MAD 41.24

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿599

$7.65 MAD 76.4

132.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿55.0

$2.40 MAD 24.01

-32.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.6

$2.65 MAD 26.42

8.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.92

$0.38 MAD 3.76

126.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,790

$13.73 MAD 137

287.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿41.05

$0.70 MAD 6.96

74.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.92

$0.64 MAD 6.40

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.9

$2.55 MAD 25.43

-9.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.38 MAD 13.83

8.70%

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

$20.9K ฿702.3K

$33.5K MAD 334.9K

-37.82%

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

$26.7K ฿900.1K

$31.6K MAD 315.7K

-15.44%

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

$61.3 ฿2,063

$33.11 MAD 331

85.02%

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

$12.50 ฿421

$9.55 MAD 95.3

30.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿686

$33.95 MAD 339

-40.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,277

$15.52 MAD 155

144.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$21.18 MAD 212

-82.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

$4.20 MAD 41.95

57.14%

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

$774 ฿26.1K

$77.2 MAD 771

902.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿486.0K

$9,638 MAD 96.2K

49.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,845

$20.62 MAD 206

165.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿851

$24.61 MAD 246

2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,049

$95.7 MAD 955

-5.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,467

$65.7 MAD 656

11.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$102 MAD 1,016

350.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,891

$62.7 MAD 626

368.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

$207 MAD 2,069

343.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.6K

$161 MAD 1,606

243.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.6K

$1,182 MAD 11.8K

62.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.6K

$840 MAD 8,386

72.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

$503 MAD 5,018

17.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.52

23.23%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Taza: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $102 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 18% 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 $18.00 in Taza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $190 – making Taza the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 62% 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 $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $841 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 $774 per month in Chiang Mai and $77.2 in Taza. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taza, where all-in costs run around $561, than in Chiang Mai at $906. In Taza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Taza costs $561 versus $906 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.