Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maui, HI and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $4,736 in Maui, HI, rent and utilities included – about $45,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

230

Cost of Living Index in Maui, HI
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Maui, HI Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Maui, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$4,736

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maui, HI and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maui, HI and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,736 per month in Maui, HI vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Maui, HI $4,736
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $6,643 per month in Maui, HI vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Maui, HI $6,643
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $8,549 per month in Maui, HI vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Maui, HI $8,549
Chiang Mai $1,903

Maui, HI costs about 412% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Maui, HI sits 250% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$35.32 $35.32

$2.29 ฿76.5

1442.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$19.64 ฿656

512.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$5.61 ฿188

163.10%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$1.66 ฿55.6

296.99%

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

$3.17 $3.17

$0.70 ฿23.40

352.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$0.31 ฿10.24

774.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 $7.77

$2.41 ฿80.4

222.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.90 $8.90

$3.71 ฿124

139.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.95 ฿65.3

16.92%

White Bread (500g)

$8.89 $8.89

$1.41 ฿47.03

530.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.67 $8.67

$1.31 ฿43.62

561.83%

Eggs

$8.53 $8.53

$2.18 ฿72.9

291.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.96 $27.96

$16.65 ฿556

67.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.34 $15.34

$2.76 ฿92.2

455.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.88 $21.88

$9.11 ฿304

140.18%

Apples (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$2.39 ฿80.0

325.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.03 ฿34.26

117.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.04 $10.04

$1.63 ฿54.4

515.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.29 $8.29

$1.50 ฿50.0

452.67%

Potato (1kg)

$6.77 $6.77

$1.29 ฿43.13

424.81%

Onion (1kg)

$7.77 $7.77

$1.11 ฿37.03

600.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.05 $5.05

$0.72 ฿24.08

601.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$0.53 ฿17.59

569.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.97 $16.97

$4.31 ฿144

293.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.82 $19.82

$17.95 ฿600

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.58 ฿52.9

8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$2.84 ฿95.0

179.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.86 ฿28.86

212.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.8 $99.8

$53.3 ฿1,780

87.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 $10.08

$1.21 ฿40.29

733.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.57 ฿18.99

70.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.44 ฿47.96

-5.56%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

79.06%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

22.68%

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

$392 $392

$62.3 ฿2,083

528.97%

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

$62.2 $62.2

$12.11 ฿405

413.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$19.94 ฿666

267.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.47 $30.47

$37.07 ฿1,239

-17.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$15.14 $15.14

$6.50 ฿217

132.92%

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

$1,644 $1,644

$793 ฿26.5K

107.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K $16.6K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

12.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 $88.5

$53.7 ฿1,796

64.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 $55.9

$24.62 ฿823

126.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 $129

$90.9 ฿3,036

42.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 $204

$71.1 ฿2,378

186.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 $2,256

$455 ฿15.2K

395.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,606 $2,606

$298 ฿9,954

775.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,481 $4,481

$908 ฿30.4K

393.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,848 $3,848

$554 ฿18.5K

594.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K $14.6K

$1,931 ฿64.5K

654.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,073 $9,073

$1,445 ฿48.3K

528.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,641 $5,641

$591 ฿19.7K

854.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

5.57

17.06%

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

Last update for Maui, HI: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Maui, HI

$2.6K 55%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 88.6% $2.3K

Groceries & Markets

Maui, HI

$715 15.1%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 67.1% $480

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maui, HI

$528 11.1%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 82.1% $433

Eating Out

Maui, HI

$486 10.3%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 83.8% $407

Clothing & Footwear

Maui, HI

$215 4.5%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 49.6% $107

Getting Around

Maui, HI

$125 2.7%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 51.5% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Maui, HI

$61 1.3%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 17.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,256 in Maui, HI versus $455 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 855% higher in Maui, HI, 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 $120 in Maui, HI versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $715 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Maui, HI

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

02:36 2:36 AM

19:36 7:36 PM

17 h ahead of Maui, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,452

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Maui, HI Chiang Mai 10,710 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Maui, HI
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Maui, HI vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maui, HI costs about 412% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,104 per month in Maui, HI and $1,388 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 $1,644 per month in Maui, HI and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 204% more in Maui, HI, 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 $925, than in Maui, HI at $4,736. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maui, HI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $4,736 in Maui, HI. 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, Maui, HI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.