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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $719 per month in Masaya vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,155 per month in Masaya vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,592 per month in Masaya vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Masaya is about 17% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Masaya and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Masaya 46% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 NIO 178

$1.96 ฿65.7

148.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.82 NIO 1,275

$18.35 ฿616

89.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 NIO 259

$7.48 ฿251

-5.35%

Cappuccino

$2.39 NIO 87.5

$2.02 ฿67.7

18.32%

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

$0.79 NIO 28.78

$0.85 ฿28.45

-7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 NIO 27.65

$0.36 ฿11.94

111.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 NIO 49.32

$2.14 ฿71.7

-36.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NIO 74.0

$3.59 ฿121

-43.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 NIO 46.52

$1.65 ฿55.4

-23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 NIO 89.9

$1.57 ฿52.6

56.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.6

$1.19 ฿39.95

52.94%

Eggs

$2.23 NIO 81.7

$1.94 ฿65.0

14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 NIO 408

$16.19 ฿544

-31.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 NIO 248

$2.99 ฿100

126.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 NIO 289

$10.94 ฿367

-27.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 NIO 144

$2.71 ฿91.0

45.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 NIO 32.74

$1.17 ฿39.18

-23.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 NIO 64.6

$1.69 ฿56.6

4.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 NIO 80.2

$1.60 ฿53.9

36.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 NIO 145

$1.38 ฿46.45

186.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NIO 81.9

$1.20 ฿40.38

86.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 NIO 38.81

$0.67 ฿22.46

58.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.70

$0.56 ฿18.70

89.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 NIO 96.3

$4.64 ฿156

-43.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 NIO 536

$17.62 ฿591

-16.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 52.0

$1.86 ฿62.4

-23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 NIO 79.5

$3.30 ฿111

-34.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$1.36 ฿45.82

7.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 NIO 243

$8.21 ฿276

-19.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 NIO 47.49

$1.22 ฿41.11

6.56%

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

$22.6K NIO 827.8K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

5.84%

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

$26.5K NIO 970.1K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

17.57%

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

$97.0 NIO 3,552

$70.7 ฿2,372

37.24%

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

$16.99 NIO 622

$14.04 ฿471

21.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 NIO 1,384

$17.49 ฿587

116.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 NIO 301

$5.92 ฿199

39.02%

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

$122 NIO 4,474

$309 ฿10.4K

-60.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 NIO 216.8K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-60.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 NIO 2,805

$55.8 ฿1,872

37.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.1 NIO 2,675

$26.11 ฿877

179.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,878

$83.0 ฿2,787

60.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NIO 3,996

$70.5 ฿2,365

54.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

105.00%

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

Last update for Masaya: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Masaya versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $243 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Masaya, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,078 per month in Masaya and $1,292 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 $35.00 in Masaya and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $719 in Masaya and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Masaya costs $719 versus $861 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 Masaya. 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.