Cost of Living Comparison Between La Marsa and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between La Marsa and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $768 per month in La Marsa vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,356 per month in La Marsa vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,944 per month in La Marsa vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

La Marsa is about 11% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both La Marsa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – La Marsa 43% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 TND 9.64

$1.94 ฿63.5

71.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.93 TND 63.7

$18.64 ฿609

17.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 TND 11.98

$7.82 ฿255

-47.31%

Cappuccino

$0.71 TND 2.06

$1.95 ฿63.8

-63.59%

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

$0.59 TND 1.72

$0.85 ฿27.77

-30.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 TND 0.66

$0.35 ฿11.58

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 TND 4.36

$2.13 ฿69.6

-29.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 TND 7.31

$3.73 ฿122

-32.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.44

$1.71 ฿56.0

-71.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.57

$1.63 ฿53.2

-87.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 TND 4.45

$1.14 ฿37.15

34.21%

Eggs

$1.63 TND 4.72

$1.93 ฿63.1

-15.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 TND 32.49

$16.21 ฿530

-30.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.74 TND 16.67

$3.12 ฿102

83.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 TND 39.79

$10.90 ฿356

25.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 TND 5.67

$2.75 ฿90.0

-29.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 TND 8.99

$1.21 ฿39.52

156.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 TND 2.94

$1.62 ฿53.0

-37.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.15

$1.59 ฿51.8

-53.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 TND 1.83

$1.40 ฿45.70

-55.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 TND 1.36

$1.17 ฿38.17

-59.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 TND 1.05

$0.66 ฿21.60

-45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 TND 0.78

$0.53 ฿17.22

-49.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 TND 9.88

$4.69 ฿153

-27.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.76 TND 19.62

$18.66 ฿609

-63.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 TND 3.30

$1.80 ฿58.8

-37.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 TND 3.07

$3.23 ฿106

-67.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 TND 1.03

$0.90 ฿29.26

-61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.87 TND 19.93

$19.21 ฿628

-64.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 TND 0.83

$1.41 ฿45.91

-79.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 TND 0.58

$1.29 ฿42.12

-84.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 TND 11.49

$7.84 ฿256

-49.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 TND 2.54

$1.27 ฿41.58

-30.71%

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

$34.0K TND 98.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

59.87%

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

$27.6K TND 80.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

24.26%

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

$33.90 TND 98.4

$69.1 ฿2,256

-50.92%

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

$9.46 TND 27.47

$14.08 ฿460

-32.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.53 TND 42.19

$18.00 ฿588

-19.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.94 TND 133

$41.06 ฿1,341

11.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 TND 22.55

$6.96 ฿227

11.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 TND 13.36

$5.92 ฿193

-22.30%

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

$84.1 TND 244

$299 ฿9,766

-71.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,375 TND 6,897

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-84.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.42 TND 132

$54.7 ฿1,787

-16.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 TND 130

$26.77 ฿874

67.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 TND 258

$85.0 ฿2,776

4.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 TND 191

$70.6 ฿2,306

-7.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 TND 1,028

$428 ฿14.0K

-17.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 TND 812

$237 ฿7,752

17.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 TND 2,249

$801 ฿26.2K

-3.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 TND 2,408

$515 ฿16.8K

60.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,872 TND 5,436

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-5.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,046 TND 3,038

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-29.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 TND 1,004

$617 ฿20.2K

-44.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

172.00%

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

Last update for La Marsa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in La Marsa versus $428 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 79% 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 $22.00 in La Marsa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in La Marsa vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so La Marsa 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

La Marsa vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than La Marsa, 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 $1,152 per month in La Marsa and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $84.1 per month in La Marsa and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $768 in La Marsa and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Marsa costs $768 versus $866 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 La Marsa. 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.