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 $1,712 per month in La Moraleja vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,520 per month in La Moraleja vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,328 per month in La Moraleja vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

La Moraleja costs about 97% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

La Moraleja sits 27% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.63 €15.19

$1.98 ฿64.3

790.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 €60.2

$18.80 ฿612

271.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 €8.95

$7.75 ฿252

34.06%

Cappuccino

$2.47 €2.13

$1.92 ฿62.5

28.65%

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

$3.11 €2.68

$0.79 ฿25.79

293.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.36 ฿11.62

486.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 €3.03

$2.21 ฿72.1

59.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.92

$3.66 ฿119

24.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.65 ฿53.8

-28.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.63 ฿53.2

-32.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.19 ฿38.86

48.74%

Eggs

$2.80 €2.41

$2.00 ฿65.1

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.86 €12.81

$15.98 ฿520

-7.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 €7.54

$3.03 ฿98.5

188.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 €14.35

$10.86 ฿354

53.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.33

$2.76 ฿90.0

-2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

$1.18 ฿38.42

84.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.64 ฿53.5

15.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$1.52 ฿49.51

74.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.38 ฿45.10

35.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.19 ฿38.84

66.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.28

$0.70 ฿22.86

111.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 €0.58

$0.56 ฿18.13

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.93

$4.58 ฿149

50.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.80

$16.56 ฿539

-52.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.83 ฿59.5

-33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.95

$3.20 ฿104

-29.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 €1.42

$0.88 ฿28.56

87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.76 €29.95

$18.72 ฿610

85.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 €3.39

$1.36 ฿44.16

189.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.34 ฿43.65

-0.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.41 €24.48

$7.84 ฿256

262.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.23 ฿39.92

46.34%

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

$38.3K €33.0K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

77.21%

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

$33.6K €29.0K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

49.06%

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

$193 €166

$70.5 ฿2,298

173.29%

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

$20.97 €18.07

$13.68 ฿445

53.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.85 €30.03

$17.45 ฿568

99.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.41 €40.84

$41.33 ฿1,346

14.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.19 €13.09

$6.96 ฿227

118.25%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 €9.85

$5.77 ฿188

98.09%

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

$258 €222

$307 ฿10.0K

-16.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,081 €1,793

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-85.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €75.8

$55.8 ฿1,817

57.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.63 €31.56

$26.21 ฿854

39.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 €78.3

$85.8 ฿2,793

5.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.0 €75.0

$72.2 ฿2,353

20.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 €728

$430 ฿14.0K

96.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$683 €589

$239 ฿7,774

186.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 €1,152

$817 ฿26.6K

63.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 €874

$511 ฿16.6K

98.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,484 €3,002

$1,983 ฿64.6K

75.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,097 €1,807

$1,484 ฿48.3K

41.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,733 €3,216

$619 ฿20.2K

503.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

-31.40%

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

Last update for La Moraleja: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $845 in La Moraleja 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 503% 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 $70.0 in La Moraleja versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $241 – 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 97% 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 $2,568 per month in La Moraleja 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.

Kindergarten costs $258 per month in La Moraleja and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $869, than in La Moraleja at $1,712. 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 $869 versus $1,712 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.