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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,170 per month in Madona vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,810 per month in Madona vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,450 per month in Madona vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Madona costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Madona and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Madona 15% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.97 €14.60

$2.08 ฿68.5

715.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 €60.5

$19.64 ฿646

257.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 €8.20

$5.65 ฿186

68.67%

Cappuccino

$3.92 €3.38

$1.81 ฿59.3

116.57%

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

$1.60 €1.38

$0.71 ฿23.44

125.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.03

$0.32 ฿10.38

275.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 €4.98

$2.24 ฿73.5

158.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 €3.99

$3.63 ฿119

27.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.96 ฿64.4

-37.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.50 ฿49.38

-0.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$1.34 ฿43.92

97.76%

Eggs

$3.79 €3.26

$2.26 ฿74.4

67.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 €9.20

$16.26 ฿534

-34.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 €7.53

$2.95 ฿97.1

196.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 €12.35

$9.94 ฿327

44.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.57 ฿84.5

-11.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.06 ฿34.72

75.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 €2.07

$1.61 ฿53.0

49.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 €2.80

$1.52 ฿49.96

113.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.27 ฿41.76

-29.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.07 ฿35.05

-5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 €1.53

$0.72 ฿23.67

147.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$0.51 ฿16.72

90.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.87

$4.19 ฿138

62.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 €6.83

$17.87 ฿587

-55.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.69 ฿55.7

20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.84 ฿93.2

-27.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.23 ฿40.58

178.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 €0.89

$0.58 ฿18.96

79.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.49 €15.91

$2.42 ฿79.7

664.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.41 ฿46.42

47.52%

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

$27.9K €24.0K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

30.25%

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

$32.6K €28.0K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

19.19%

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

$386 €332

$63.7 ฿2,093

506.13%

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

$21.28 €18.31

$12.85 ฿423

65.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.33 €17.49

$20.22 ฿665

0.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.82 €24.80

$38.74 ฿1,274

-25.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$5.94 €5.11

$6.74 ฿221

-11.87%

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

$629 €541

$778 ฿25.6K

-19.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K €16.0K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

27.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.8 €62.7

$54.3 ฿1,785

34.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 €44.10

$25.45 ฿836

101.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 €75.4

$94.3 ฿3,101

-7.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 €122

$73.4 ฿2,414

92.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

5.57

-16.70%

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

Last update for Madona: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Madona versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $240 – 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

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

Madona costs about 23% 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 $1,754 per month in Madona and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Madona and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Madona, 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 $947, than in Madona at $1,170. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,170 in Madona. 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, Madona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.