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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $340 per month in Mandvi vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $544 per month in Mandvi vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $749 per month in Mandvi vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mandvi is about 60% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mandvi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mandvi 75% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Mandvi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.25 â‚đ214
$1.96 āļŋ64.0
14.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.40 â‚đ988
$18.81 āļŋ615
-44.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.38 â‚đ226
$7.92 āļŋ259
-69.95%
Cappuccino
$1.48 â‚đ141
$1.91 āļŋ62.6
-22.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 â‚đ20.79
$0.84 āļŋ27.41
-73.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12 â‚đ11.18
$0.35 āļŋ11.51
-65.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.30 â‚đ218
$2.21 āļŋ72.1
4.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59 â‚đ340
$3.80 āļŋ124
-5.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mandvi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.52 â‚đ49.44
$1.64 āļŋ53.5
-68.29%
White Bread (500g)
$0.30 â‚đ28.68
$1.62 āļŋ53.1
-81.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.50 â‚đ47.72
$1.18 āļŋ38.62
-57.63%
Eggs
$0.85 â‚đ81.1
$2.01 āļŋ65.8
-57.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.80 â‚đ550
$15.89 āļŋ520
-63.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.11 â‚đ295
$3.01 āļŋ98.5
3.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$10.77 āļŋ352
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.87 â‚đ177
$2.61 āļŋ85.5
-28.35%
Banana (1kg)
$0.78 â‚đ74.2
$1.22 āļŋ39.88
-36.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.10 â‚đ104
$1.70 āļŋ55.7
-35.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.85 â‚đ80.5
$1.58 āļŋ51.5
-46.20%
Potato (1kg)
$0.28 â‚đ26.28
$1.32 āļŋ43.14
-78.79%
Onion (1kg)
$0.30 â‚đ28.51
$1.17 āļŋ38.23
-74.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.47 â‚đ44.56
$0.67 āļŋ21.98
-29.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.22 â‚đ20.84
$0.56 āļŋ18.32
-60.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.99 â‚đ284
$4.53 āļŋ148
-34.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.47 â‚đ994
$18.20 āļŋ595
-42.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 â‚đ245
$1.83 āļŋ60.0
40.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 â‚đ307
$3.23 āļŋ106
-
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$3.91 â‚đ372
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mandvi
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 â‚đ26.33
$0.89 āļŋ29.00
-68.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.54 â‚đ811
$19.38 āļŋ634
-55.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.60 â‚đ56.7
$1.35 āļŋ44.20
-55.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.11 â‚đ10.81
$1.35 āļŋ44.05
-91.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.08 â‚đ198
$8.25 āļŋ270
-74.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 â‚đ111
$1.27 āļŋ41.64
-7.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$8,026 â‚đ762.0K
$21.2K āļŋ691.8K
-62.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$13.7K â‚đ1.3M
$22.5K āļŋ735.3K
-39.04%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mandvi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$21.73 â‚đ2,063
$70.2 āļŋ2,294
-69.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.66 â‚đ348
$13.77 āļŋ450
-73.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.69 â‚đ540
$17.60 āļŋ575
-67.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mandvi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$7.97 â‚đ757
$41.57 āļŋ1,360
-80.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.20 â‚đ684
$6.60 āļŋ216
9.09%
Cinema Ticket
$3.53 â‚đ335
$5.78 āļŋ189
-38.93%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Mandvi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$92.9 â‚đ8,818
$306 āļŋ10.0K
-69.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,822 â‚đ173.0K
$14.8K āļŋ484.8K
-87.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mandvi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$8.92 â‚đ847
$54.4 āļŋ1,778
-83.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$11.60 â‚đ1,101
$26.14 āļŋ855
-55.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$17.25 â‚đ1,638
$84.5 āļŋ2,764
-79.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$17.39 â‚đ1,651
$69.4 āļŋ2,270
-74.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mandvi
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$124 â‚đ11.8K
$424 āļŋ13.9K
-70.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$76.5 â‚đ7,260
$238 āļŋ7,788
-67.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$272 â‚đ25.9K
$825 āļŋ27.0K
-66.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$181 â‚đ17.2K
$515 āļŋ16.8K
-64.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$989 â‚đ93.9K
$2,049 āļŋ67.0K
-51.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$552 â‚đ52.4K
$1,523 āļŋ49.8K
-63.74%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Mandvi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$635 āļŋ20.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.5
5
70.00%

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

Last update for Mandvi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $124 in Mandvi versus $424 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Mandvi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $243 – making Mandvi 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
Mandvi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mandvi or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 151% more than Mandvi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mandvi vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $510 per month in Mandvi and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Mandvi or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mandvi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Mandvi and Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $92.9 per month in Mandvi and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Mandvi or Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 111% 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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Mandvi or Chiang Mai?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $340 in Mandvi and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mandvi or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mandvi costs $340 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Mandvi compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Mandvi or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Mandvi. 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.

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