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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,128 per month in Medias vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,718 per month in Medias vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,307 per month in Medias vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Medias costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medias and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Medias 15% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 RON 56.3

$2.04 ฿68.2

506.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 RON 228

$18.71 ฿624

168.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 RON 36.97

$7.86 ฿262

3.44%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.46

$2.03 ฿67.7

67.49%

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

$1.90 RON 8.66

$0.80 ฿26.64

137.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 RON 9.40

$0.35 ฿11.68

491.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 RON 14.54

$2.14 ฿71.5

49.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.27

$3.67 ฿122

-8.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 RON 6.13

$1.73 ฿57.6

-21.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 RON 6.10

$1.57 ฿52.4

-14.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.11

$1.20 ฿39.99

48.33%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.25

$1.97 ฿65.8

70.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 RON 38.31

$16.23 ฿541

-48.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 RON 30.99

$3.06 ฿102

122.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 RON 54.5

$10.80 ฿360

10.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.39

$2.77 ฿92.3

-57.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.51

$1.17 ฿38.94

41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.30

$1.71 ฿57.0

-5.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 RON 11.06

$1.59 ฿53.2

52.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$1.39 ฿46.51

-28.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$1.16 ฿38.56

-11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 3.94

$0.66 ฿22.05

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.63

$0.52 ฿17.31

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.97 RON 27.13

$4.65 ฿155

28.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.29

$17.78 ฿593

-56.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.18

$1.79 ฿59.6

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.50

$3.34 ฿111

-50.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$0.91 ฿30.27

-20.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.59 RON 89.1

$18.64 ฿622

5.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.22

$1.41 ฿47.04

-49.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.68

$1.34 ฿44.70

-39.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.03 RON 31.97

$8.11 ฿270

-13.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.90

$1.23 ฿41.16

23.58%

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

$28.2K RON 128.1K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

31.40%

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

$27.5K RON 125.0K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

25.99%

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

$162 RON 734

$71.3 ฿2,379

126.43%

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

$8.03 RON 36.49

$14.01 ฿467

-42.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 RON 40.63

$17.93 ฿598

-50.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.32 RON 188

$40.82 ฿1,362

1.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 RON 87.0

$6.88 ฿230

178.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.01 RON 31.88

$5.72 ฿191

22.55%

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

$452 RON 2,055

$308 ฿10.3K

46.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,675 RON 30.3K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-54.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 RON 309

$55.8 ฿1,860

21.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.75 RON 199

$26.04 ฿869

68.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 RON 434

$84.8 ฿2,829

12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 RON 456

$71.0 ฿2,368

41.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 RON 1,771

$423 ฿14.1K

-7.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RON 1,302

$242 ฿8,088

18.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 RON 2,654

$797 ฿26.6K

-26.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 2,017

$507 ฿16.9K

-12.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,806 RON 8,210

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-5.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,280 RON 5,821

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-12.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

54.00%

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

Last update for Medias: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Medias versus $423 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 $50.0 in Medias versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Medias vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Medias 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

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

Medias costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,692 per month in Medias and $1,279 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 $452 per month in Medias and $308 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 11% cheaper in Medias – 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 $852, than in Medias at $1,128. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medias it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,128 in Medias. 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, Medias makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.