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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,521 per month in Hulhumale vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,721 per month in Hulhumale vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,921 per month in Hulhumale vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hulhumale costs about 75% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Hulhumale sits 13% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 MVR 83.0

$1.98 ฿64.3

171.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.74 MVR 459

$18.80 ฿612

58.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 MVR 148

$7.75 ฿252

23.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 MVR 68.4

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 MVR 58.4

Cappuccino

$2.94 MVR 45.30

$1.92 ฿62.5

53.13%

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

$1.27 MVR 19.58

$0.79 ฿25.79

60.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MVR 4.19

$0.36 ฿11.62

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MVR 27.90

$1.65 ฿53.8

9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 MVR 24.15

$1.63 ฿53.2

-3.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.31 MVR 4.71

$1.19 ฿38.86

-73.95%

Eggs

$1.53 MVR 23.60

$2.00 ฿65.1

-23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 MVR 127

$15.98 ฿520

-48.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 MVR 94.2

$3.03 ฿98.5

101.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.65 MVR 133

$10.86 ฿354

-20.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 MVR 61.8

$2.76 ฿90.0

45.29%

Banana (1kg)

$3.73 MVR 57.5

$1.18 ฿38.42

216.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 MVR 67.7

$1.64 ฿53.5

167.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 MVR 49.66

$1.52 ฿49.51

111.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 MVR 23.96

$1.38 ฿45.10

12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 MVR 18.96

$1.19 ฿38.84

3.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 MVR 48.29

$0.70 ฿22.86

347.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MVR 7.68

$0.56 ฿18.13

-10.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.23 MVR 189

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MVR 41.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.00 MVR 154

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.34 MVR 129

$4.58 ฿149

82.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 MVR 30.56

$1.36 ฿44.16

45.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 MVR 29.68

$1.34 ฿43.65

43.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.52 MVR 147

$7.84 ฿256

21.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 MVR 14.84

$1.23 ฿39.92

-21.95%

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

$32.6K MVR 502.3K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

50.66%

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

$34.4K MVR 530.5K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

52.58%

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

$107 MVR 1,650

$70.5 ฿2,298

51.64%

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

$42.13 MVR 650

$13.68 ฿445

207.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.52 MVR 656

$17.45 ฿568

143.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.1 MVR 1,004

$41.33 ฿1,346

57.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 MVR 147

$5.77 ฿188

64.99%

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

$160 MVR 2,460

$307 ฿10.0K

-48.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,594 MVR 55.4K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-75.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.16 MVR 696

$55.8 ฿1,817

-19.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 MVR 868

$26.21 ฿854

114.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 MVR 1,368

$85.8 ฿2,793

3.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.4 MVR 823

$72.2 ฿2,353

-26.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 MVR 20.0K

$430 ฿14.0K

201.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 MVR 11.8K

$239 ฿7,774

221.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,918 MVR 45.0K

$817 ฿26.6K

256.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,283 MVR 35.2K

$511 ฿16.6K

346.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,384 MVR 83.0K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

171.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$494 MVR 7,620

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-66.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$710 MVR 10.9K

$619 ฿20.2K

14.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

148.00%

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

Last update for Hulhumale: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,294 in Hulhumale versus $430 in Chiang Mai. 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 15% higher in Hulhumale, 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 $30.00 in Hulhumale versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Hulhumale vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Hulhumale 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

Hulhumale vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hulhumale costs about 75% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,282 per month in Hulhumale and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Hulhumale and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Hulhumale – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Hulhumale at $1,521. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hulhumale it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,521 in Hulhumale. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hulhumale makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.