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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,703 per month in La Moraleja vs $942 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,538 per month in La Moraleja vs $1,427 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,373 per month in La Moraleja vs $1,912 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

La Moraleja costs about 81% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

La Moraleja sits 26% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.98 €14.92

$2.08 ฿69.7

716.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 €71.3

$19.91 ฿666

307.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.98

$5.58 ฿187

103.41%

Cappuccino

$2.07 €1.82

$1.74 ฿58.1

18.97%

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

$3.34 €2.93

$0.72 ฿24.08

363.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.75

$0.32 ฿10.71

521.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 €2.95

$2.25 ฿75.3

48.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 €4.34

$3.81 ฿128

29.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.04

$2.02 ฿67.6

-41.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.57 ฿52.6

-30.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 €1.59

$1.40 ฿46.72

29.29%

Eggs

$2.95 €2.60

$2.15 ฿72.0

37.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.04 €14.98

$15.63 ฿523

9.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 €8.08

$2.95 ฿98.6

211.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.87 €15.71

$9.49 ฿318

88.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.27

$2.60 ฿87.2

-0.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.96

$1.08 ฿36.19

106.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 €2.06

$1.59 ฿53.3

47.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.28

$1.45 ฿48.62

78.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.84

$1.28 ฿42.72

63.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.86

$1.11 ฿37.18

90.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.38

$0.73 ฿24.30

115.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 €0.50

$0.50 ฿16.72

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 €5.60

$4.27 ฿143

49.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €7.13

$17.67 ฿591

-54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$1.68 ฿56.3

-33.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.99

$2.80 ฿93.8

-18.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.87 €1.64

$0.87 ฿28.95

114.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.89 €31.55

$54.2 ฿1,814

-33.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 €3.43

$1.21 ฿40.59

222.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.39

$0.54 ฿18.03

192.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.68 €20.82

$2.39 ฿79.9

890.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.51

$1.46 ฿48.98

17.12%

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

$35.8K €31.4K

$21.0K ฿703.3K

70.16%

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

$30.3K €26.7K

$26.7K ฿893.4K

13.62%

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

$194 €170

$62.1 ฿2,078

211.83%

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

$18.32 €16.10

$12.93 ฿433

41.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.00 €28.13

$20.61 ฿690

55.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.50 €34.72

$39.21 ฿1,312

0.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.48 €14.49

$3.77 ฿126

337.14%

Cinema Ticket

$9.77 €8.59

$6.52 ฿218

49.85%

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

$180 €158

$803 ฿26.9K

-77.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,191 €5,442

$14.7K ฿491.9K

-57.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 €65.0

$55.9 ฿1,870

32.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €32.36

$25.51 ฿854

44.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 €68.6

$91.1 ฿3,048

-14.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 €86.8

$73.3 ฿2,453

34.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 €694

$484 ฿16.2K

63.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 €662

$288 ฿9,646

161.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 €1,043

$885 ฿29.6K

33.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 €1,036

$523 ฿17.5K

125.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,809 €3,348

$1,989 ฿66.6K

91.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,496 €2,194

$1,440 ฿48.2K

73.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,671 €3,227

$603 ฿20.2K

509.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

5.57

-44.52%

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

Last update for La Moraleja: September 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $789 in La Moraleja versus $484 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 509% higher in La Moraleja, 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 $81.0 in La Moraleja versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $238 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

La Moraleja costs about 81% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,555 per month in La Moraleja and $1,414 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.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in La Moraleja and $803 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in La Moraleja, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $942, than in La Moraleja at $1,703. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Moraleja it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $942 versus $1,703 in La Moraleja. 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, La Moraleja makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.