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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,592 per month in Melissia vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,355 per month in Melissia vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,118 per month in Melissia vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Melissia costs about 87% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Melissia sits 19% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.08 €11.17

$1.96 ฿63.6

567.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 €49.82

$18.81 ฿611

210.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 €8.06

$7.92 ฿258

19.07%

Cappuccino

$4.25 €3.63

$1.91 ฿62.2

122.51%

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

$1.67 €1.43

$0.84 ฿27.25

98.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.35 ฿11.44

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 €4.80

$2.21 ฿71.7

154.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 €4.82

$3.80 ฿124

48.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.57

$1.64 ฿53.2

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.62 ฿52.8

-6.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 €2.43

$1.18 ฿38.40

141.53%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.38

$2.01 ฿65.4

155.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.82 €11.80

$15.89 ฿517

-13.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.49 €8.96

$3.01 ฿98.0

248.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 €12.81

$10.77 ฿350

39.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 €1.89

$2.61 ฿85.0

-15.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 €1.66

$1.22 ฿39.65

59.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.70 ฿55.4

-37.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 €1.71

$1.58 ฿51.2

26.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.32 ฿42.89

6.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.17 ฿38.01

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 €0.85

$0.67 ฿21.85

47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.89

$0.56 ฿18.21

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.54 €4.73

$4.53 ฿147

22.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 €9.13

$18.20 ฿592

-41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.74

$1.83 ฿59.6

11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €1.99

$3.23 ฿105

-27.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 €1.36

$0.89 ฿28.83

78.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.18 €40.29

$19.38 ฿630

143.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.07

$1.35 ฿43.95

252.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.46 €11.49

$8.25 ฿268

63.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 €1.85

$1.27 ฿41.40

70.87%

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

$29.4K €25.1K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

39.10%

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

$29.4K €25.1K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

30.54%

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

$293 €250

$70.2 ฿2,281

317.66%

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

$23.36 €19.95

$13.77 ฿448

69.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.52 €26.92

$17.60 ฿572

79.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.28 €41.23

$41.57 ฿1,352

16.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 €22.76

$6.60 ฿215

303.79%

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 €8.59

$5.78 ฿188

73.88%

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

$513 €438

$306 ฿9,953

67.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,621 €4,800

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-62.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €95.1

$54.4 ฿1,768

104.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.70 €33.05

$26.14 ฿850

48.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 €85.0

$84.5 ฿2,748

17.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €106

$69.4 ฿2,257

78.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 €421

$424 ฿13.8K

16.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 €331

$238 ฿7,743

62.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 €663

$825 ฿26.8K

-5.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 €519

$515 ฿16.7K

17.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,072 €2,623

$2,049 ฿66.6K

49.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 €2,150

$1,523 ฿49.5K

65.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,390 €1,187

$635 ฿20.6K

118.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

-0.20%

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

Last update for Melissia: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $493 in Melissia 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.

Salaries run about 119% higher in Melissia, 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 $58.0 in Melissia versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 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

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

Melissia costs about 87% 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 $2,388 per month in Melissia and $1,278 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 $513 per month in Melissia and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Melissia, 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 $852, than in Melissia at $1,592. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melissia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,592 in Melissia. 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, Melissia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.