Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Toliara

For one person, living is cheaper in Toliara: $174 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Toliara

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$174

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Toliara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Toliara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $174 in Toliara, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Toliara $174

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $261 in Toliara, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Toliara $261

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $349 in Toliara, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Toliara $349

Chiang Mai costs about 437% more than Toliara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Toliara are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Toliara 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$1.72 MGA 7,855

30.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$0.78 MGA 3,585

114.10%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

$0.67 MGA 3,082

-4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.42 MGA 6,505

37.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

$0.41 MGA 1,871

224.39%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$2.08 MGA 9,499

9.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$4.69 MGA 21.5K

-40.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$4.94 MGA 22.6K

88.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

$0.68 MGA 3,120

42.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.68 MGA 7,685

-10.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

$0.52 MGA 2,372

146.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.67 MGA 3,071

-26.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$1.80 MGA 8,253

130.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$5.48 MGA 25.1K

219.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.63 MGA 2,877

155.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

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

$12.17 ฿410

$16.30 MGA 74.6K

-25.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$33.49 MGA 153.3K

-39.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Toliara: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Toliara

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Toliara

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Toliara

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Toliara

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Toliara

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Toliara

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Toliara

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇬 Toliara

🕒 Local time

00:35 12:35 AM

20:35 8:35 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

168,756

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MGA, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4,577 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD). 1 EUR = 5,108 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Toliara 7,610 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Toliara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Toliara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 437% more than Toliara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $261 in Toliara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $174 in Toliara. That makes Toliara about 81% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 138% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Toliara, where all-in costs run around $174, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Toliara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $174 in Toliara to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.