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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $570 per month in Mahdia vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $903 per month in Mahdia vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,236 per month in Mahdia vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mahdia is about 38% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mahdia and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mahdia 58% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.49 TND 7.17

$2.11 ฿69.1

18.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.18 TND 58.2

$19.75 ฿648

2.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 TND 14.01

$5.85 ฿192

-16.92%

Cappuccino

$0.99 TND 2.84

$1.76 ฿57.8

-43.75%

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

$0.63 TND 1.82

$0.74 ฿24.37

-14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 TND 0.54

$0.33 ฿10.90

-42.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 TND 3.01

$2.47 ฿81.0

-57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 TND 4.36

$3.88 ฿127

-61.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.43 TND 1.24

$1.90 ฿62.4

-77.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 TND 0.84

$1.67 ฿54.7

-82.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 TND 3.91

$1.35 ฿44.24

0.74%

Eggs

$1.62 TND 4.66

$2.14 ฿70.2

-24.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 TND 34.01

$15.89 ฿521

-25.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 TND 14.61

$2.83 ฿92.9

79.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 TND 42.65

$10.53 ฿345

40.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 TND 6.70

$2.38 ฿78.2

-2.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 TND 8.43

$1.07 ฿35.01

172.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 TND 4.26

$1.52 ฿49.79

-2.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 TND 2.18

$1.50 ฿49.30

-49.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 TND 1.73

$1.28 ฿41.96

-53.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 TND 0.93

$1.10 ฿36.17

-70.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 TND 1.28

$0.69 ฿22.54

-34.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 TND 1.02

$0.49 ฿16.18

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 TND 9.77

$4.27 ฿140

-20.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.36 TND 9.68

$16.78 ฿550

-79.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 TND 4.75

$1.66 ฿54.4

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 TND 3.83

$2.81 ฿92.3

-52.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 TND 0.95

$0.90 ฿29.44

-63.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.73 TND 39.59

$54.9 ฿1,801

-74.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.86

$1.20 ฿39.24

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 TND 0.81

$0.54 ฿17.78

-48.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 TND 2.56

$1.43 ฿46.88

-37.76%

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

$41.0K TND 118.1K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

94.34%

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

$40.2K TND 115.8K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

47.99%

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

$57.3 TND 165

$64.7 ฿2,124

-11.49%

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

$5.65 TND 16.30

$13.19 ฿433

-57.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.39 TND 67.4

$19.44 ฿638

20.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.44 TND 61.8

$39.45 ฿1,294

-45.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 TND 22.41

$3.77 ฿124

106.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 TND 19.54

$6.62 ฿217

2.42%

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

$113 TND 325

$805 ฿26.4K

-85.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,035 TND 2,985

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-93.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.88 TND 115

$54.8 ฿1,796

-27.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 TND 99.8

$25.43 ฿834

36.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 TND 229

$91.9 ฿3,015

-13.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.98 TND 69.1

$74.7 ฿2,449

-67.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 TND 375

$467 ฿15.3K

-72.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$103 TND 297

$282 ฿9,251

-63.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 TND 883

$891 ฿29.2K

-65.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 TND 518

$521 ฿17.1K

-65.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$679 TND 1,959

$1,985 ฿65.1K

-65.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$208 TND 600

$1,462 ฿48.0K

-85.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$242 TND 698

$592 ฿19.4K

-59.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.33

5.57

85.46%

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

Last update for Mahdia: August 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $130 in Mahdia versus $467 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 145% 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 $20.00 in Mahdia versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $237 – making Mahdia 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Mahdia, 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 $855 per month in Mahdia and $1,380 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $113 per month in Mahdia and $805 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mahdia, where all-in costs run around $570, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Mahdia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mahdia costs $570 versus $920 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 Mahdia. 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.