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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $888 per month in Miaoli vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,619 per month in Miaoli vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,351 per month in Miaoli vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Miaoli costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Miaoli and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Miaoli 34% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.29 NT$106

$1.96 ฿65.9

67.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 NT$807

$18.35 ฿617

36.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 NT$161

$7.48 ฿252

-33.42%

Cappuccino

$2.79 NT$90.1

$2.02 ฿67.8

38.12%

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

$1.17 NT$37.72

$0.85 ฿28.52

37.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.14

$0.36 ฿11.97

108.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 NT$53.0

$2.14 ฿71.9

-23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 NT$83.8

$3.59 ฿121

-27.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.93 NT$94.8

$1.65 ฿55.5

77.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 NT$44.93

$1.57 ฿52.7

-11.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 NT$77.7

$1.19 ฿40.05

101.68%

Eggs

$2.21 NT$71.3

$1.94 ฿65.1

13.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 NT$297

$16.19 ฿545

-43.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 NT$261

$2.99 ฿101

169.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.70 NT$669

$10.94 ฿368

89.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 NT$106

$2.71 ฿91.2

21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 NT$33.56

$1.17 ฿39.27

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 NT$87.9

$1.69 ฿56.8

60.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 NT$97.1

$1.60 ฿54.0

87.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 NT$75.7

$1.38 ฿46.56

69.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NT$61.5

$1.20 ฿40.47

58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 NT$96.1

$0.67 ฿22.51

343.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 NT$29.51

$0.56 ฿18.74

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 NT$214

$4.64 ฿156

42.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.02 NT$356

$17.62 ฿593

-37.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$56.6

$1.86 ฿62.6

-5.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NT$75.7

$3.30 ฿111

-29.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.21

$0.88 ฿29.70

-1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 NT$1,236

$19.34 ฿651

97.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 NT$100

$1.36 ฿45.92

127.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$25.52

$1.34 ฿45.00

-41.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 NT$259

$8.21 ฿276

-2.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.13

$1.22 ฿41.20

-13.11%

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

$36.9K NT$1.2M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

72.97%

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

$26.8K NT$866.6K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

19.05%

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

$64.7 NT$2,092

$70.7 ฿2,378

-8.41%

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

$28.54 NT$922

$14.04 ฿472

103.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 NT$628

$17.49 ฿589

11.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.32 NT$1,206

$42.15 ฿1,418

-11.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.02 NT$485

$6.88 ฿231

118.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.27 NT$332

$5.92 ฿199

73.48%

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

$584 NT$18.9K

$309 ฿10.4K

89.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K NT$972.9K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

102.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.87 NT$1,030

$55.8 ฿1,876

-42.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.09 NT$778

$26.11 ฿879

-7.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 NT$2,155

$83.0 ฿2,793

-19.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,251

$70.5 ฿2,371

42.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 NT$10.8K

$432 ฿14.5K

-22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 NT$5,578

$239 ฿8,040

-27.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 NT$33.0K

$822 ฿27.7K

24.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 NT$23.9K

$512 ฿17.2K

44.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,442 NT$78.9K

$579 ฿19.5K

321.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-60.00%

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

Last update for Miaoli: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $335 in Miaoli versus $432 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 321% higher in Miaoli, 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 $25.00 in Miaoli versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 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

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

Miaoli costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,331 per month in Miaoli and $1,292 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 $584 per month in Miaoli and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Miaoli, 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 $861, than in Miaoli at $888. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Miaoli it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $888 in Miaoli. 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, Miaoli makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.