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 $1,120 per month in Medias vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,701 per month in Medias vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,283 per month in Medias vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Medias costs about 29% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medias and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Medias 17% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.17 RON 55.1

$1.98 ฿64.3

514.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 RON 231

$18.80 ฿612

172.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 35.50

$7.75 ฿252

1.29%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 15.99

$1.92 ฿62.5

83.85%

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

$1.91 RON 8.66

$0.79 ฿25.79

141.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RON 9.13

$0.36 ฿11.62

461.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 RON 14.88

$2.21 ฿72.1

48.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 RON 15.30

$3.66 ฿119

-7.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.32

$1.65 ฿53.8

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.90

$1.63 ฿53.2

-19.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.08

$1.19 ฿38.86

50.42%

Eggs

$3.29 RON 14.90

$2.00 ฿65.1

64.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 RON 39.89

$15.98 ฿520

-44.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 RON 31.49

$3.03 ฿98.5

129.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 RON 54.4

$10.86 ฿354

10.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.32

$2.76 ฿90.0

-57.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.42

$1.18 ฿38.42

38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.31

$1.64 ฿53.5

-1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 RON 11.26

$1.52 ฿49.51

63.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.65

$1.38 ฿45.10

-25.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 RON 4.88

$1.19 ฿38.84

-9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 RON 4.30

$0.70 ฿22.86

35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.73

$0.56 ฿18.13

46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.72 RON 25.85

$4.58 ฿149

24.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 RON 40.17

$16.56 ฿539

-46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.96

$1.83 ฿59.5

-39.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.48

$3.20 ฿104

-48.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$0.88 ฿28.56

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.52 RON 88.3

$18.72 ฿610

4.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.45

$1.36 ฿44.16

-44.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 RON 3.48

$1.34 ฿43.65

-42.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.39

$7.84 ฿256

-11.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 RON 6.73

$1.23 ฿39.92

21.14%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

31.85%

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

$28.1K RON 126.9K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

24.46%

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

$167 RON 756

$70.5 ฿2,298

136.79%

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

$8.30 RON 37.54

$13.68 ฿445

-39.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.15 RON 41.39

$17.45 ฿568

-47.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.75 RON 184

$41.33 ฿1,346

-1.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.12 RON 86.5

$6.96 ฿227

174.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 RON 30.89

$5.77 ฿188

18.37%

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

$453 RON 2,051

$307 ฿10.0K

47.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,526 RON 29.5K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-55.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 RON 300

$55.8 ฿1,817

18.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.48 RON 192

$26.21 ฿854

62.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 RON 439

$85.8 ฿2,793

13.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 RON 449

$72.2 ฿2,353

37.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 RON 1,774

$430 ฿14.0K

-8.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 RON 1,338

$239 ฿7,774

23.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 RON 2,687

$817 ฿26.6K

-27.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 RON 1,981

$511 ฿16.6K

-14.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,729 RON 7,819

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-12.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,270 RON 5,744

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-14.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Medias versus $430 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 $51.0 in Medias versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Medias vs $241 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 29% 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 $1,679 per month in Medias and $1,303 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 $453 per month in Medias and $307 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 7% 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 $869, than in Medias at $1,120. 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 $869 versus $1,120 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.