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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,256 per month in Mackay vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,606 per month in Mackay vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,957 per month in Mackay vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mackay costs about 142% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mackay sits 65% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 A$24.91

$2.08 ฿69.5

749.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$110

$19.61 ฿655

299.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 A$17.87

$5.67 ฿189

123.46%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.88

$1.81 ฿60.3

130.39%

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

$3.29 A$4.65

$0.77 ฿25.65

327.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 A$3.98

$0.35 ฿11.53

705.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.95 A$9.80

$2.21 ฿73.9

214.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 A$9.78

$3.79 ฿127

82.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 A$2.80

$2.05 ฿68.4

-2.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 A$3.73

$1.51 ฿50.6

74.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.08

$1.40 ฿46.69

106.43%

Eggs

$5.87 A$8.28

$2.26 ฿75.4

159.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 A$13.49

$16.19 ฿540

-40.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 A$12.56

$2.90 ฿96.7

207.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.64 A$23.46

$9.42 ฿314

76.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 A$5.24

$2.68 ฿89.4

38.43%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 A$4.24

$1.09 ฿36.37

176.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.54

$1.62 ฿54.0

98.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 A$9.50

$1.46 ฿48.74

361.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.59

$1.28 ฿42.65

99.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.80

$1.06 ฿35.31

154.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.17 A$4.47

$0.72 ฿23.94

340.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 A$4.31

$0.53 ฿17.56

477.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.08 A$62.2

$4.23 ฿141

942.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.61 A$12.15

$18.29 ฿611

-52.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.32 A$7.51

$1.63 ฿54.4

226.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.30 A$8.89

$2.90 ฿96.8

117.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 A$3.54

$0.88 ฿29.32

185.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.4 A$99.2

$53.8 ฿1,795

30.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 A$8.43

$1.17 ฿39.14

410.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 A$2.96

$0.58 ฿19.30

262.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.24 A$49.70

$2.39 ฿79.6

1374.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 A$1.72

$1.45 ฿48.41

-15.86%

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

$27.2K A$38.4K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

29.46%

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

$36.1K A$50.9K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

36.57%

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

$235 A$332

$63.7 ฿2,125

269.82%

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

$29.78 A$42.00

$12.89 ฿430

131.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 A$113

$20.52 ฿685

290.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 A$76.1

$39.02 ฿1,302

38.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.84 A$30.80

$3.92 ฿131

457.14%

Cinema Ticket

$16.86 A$23.77

$6.58 ฿220

156.23%

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

$1,891 A$2,667

$784 ฿26.2K

141.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,891 A$9,718

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-53.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.1 A$104

$55.1 ฿1,840

34.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 A$74.3

$24.74 ฿826

113.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 A$181

$94.1 ฿3,142

36.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 A$151

$74.0 ฿2,469

44.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 A$1,366

$490 ฿16.4K

97.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 A$1,148

$288 ฿9,620

182.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,915 A$2,700

$891 ฿29.8K

114.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 A$2,584

$521 ฿17.4K

251.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,275 A$4,619

$1,974 ฿65.9K

65.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,768 A$2,494

$1,444 ฿48.2K

22.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,756 A$8,117

$602 ฿20.1K

856.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.57

1.08%

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

Last update for Mackay: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $969 in Mackay versus $490 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 857% higher in Mackay, 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 $78.0 in Mackay versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 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

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

Mackay costs about 142% 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 $3,385 per month in Mackay and $1,398 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 $1,891 per month in Mackay and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Mackay, 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 $932, than in Mackay at $2,256. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mackay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,256 in Mackay. 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, Mackay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.