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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,524 per month in Male vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,378 per month in Male vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,232 per month in Male vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Male costs about 76% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Male sits 14% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MVR 85.0

$1.94 ฿63.5

184.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.17 MVR 450

$18.64 ฿609

56.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 MVR 152

$7.82 ฿255

26.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 MVR 68.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MVR 56.0

Cappuccino

$2.86 MVR 44.15

$1.95 ฿63.8

46.67%

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

$1.28 MVR 19.76

$0.85 ฿27.77

50.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MVR 3.83

$0.35 ฿11.58

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MVR 27.55

$1.71 ฿56.0

4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 MVR 23.96

$1.63 ฿53.2

-4.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 MVR 20.89

$1.14 ฿37.15

18.42%

Eggs

$1.80 MVR 27.76

$1.93 ฿63.1

-6.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 MVR 128

$16.21 ฿530

-48.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 MVR 97.1

$3.12 ฿102

101.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.12 MVR 141

$10.90 ฿356

-16.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 MVR 63.8

$2.75 ฿90.0

50.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.78 MVR 58.3

$1.21 ฿39.52

212.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 MVR 66.8

$1.62 ฿53.0

167.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 MVR 49.24

$1.59 ฿51.8

100.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 MVR 22.98

$1.40 ฿45.70

6.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 MVR 18.91

$1.17 ฿38.17

5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 MVR 47.22

$0.66 ฿21.60

363.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MVR 7.83

$0.53 ฿17.22

-3.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.30 MVR 190

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.51 MVR 162

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.33 MVR 128

$4.69 ฿153

77.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MVR 10.18

$0.90 ฿29.26

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.81 MVR 444

$19.21 ฿628

49.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 MVR 29.87

$1.41 ฿45.91

37.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 MVR 29.43

$1.29 ฿42.12

48.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.96 MVR 154

$7.84 ฿256

27.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 MVR 14.17

$1.27 ฿41.58

-27.56%

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

$32.2K MVR 497.2K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

51.55%

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

$34.6K MVR 534.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

55.92%

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

$105 MVR 1,613

$69.1 ฿2,256

51.41%

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

$41.62 MVR 642

$14.08 ฿460

195.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 MVR 1,182

$18.00 ฿588

325.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 MVR 1,242

$41.06 ฿1,341

96.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.50 MVR 671

$6.96 ฿227

525.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.81 MVR 151

$5.92 ฿193

65.71%

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

$163 MVR 2,521

$299 ฿9,766

-45.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,626 MVR 55.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-75.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.36 MVR 700

$54.7 ฿1,787

-17.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 MVR 860

$26.77 ฿874

108.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 MVR 1,383

$85.0 ฿2,776

5.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.4 MVR 839

$70.6 ฿2,306

-22.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 MVR 15.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

126.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 MVR 10.8K

$237 ฿7,752

194.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 MVR 26.2K

$801 ฿26.2K

112.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 MVR 22.0K

$515 ฿16.8K

176.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,300 MVR 35.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

16.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,905 MVR 29.4K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

29.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$857 MVR 13.2K

$617 ฿20.2K

38.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

148.00%

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

Last update for Male: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $970 in Male versus $428 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 39% higher in Male, 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 $29.00 in Male versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Male vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Male wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Male costs about 76% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,286 per month in Male and $1,300 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 $163 per month in Male and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Male – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Male at $1,524. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Male it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,524 in Male. 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, Male makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.