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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,009 per month in Middelburg vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,579 per month in Middelburg vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,150 per month in Middelburg vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Middelburg costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Middelburg and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Middelburg 25% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.75 R 147

$1.96 ฿64.0

346.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.79 R 567

$18.81 ฿615

79.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 R 80.8

$7.92 ฿259

-39.14%

Cappuccino

$1.21 R 20.23

$1.91 ฿62.6

-36.65%

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

$0.80 R 13.44

$0.84 ฿27.41

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 R 9.60

$0.35 ฿11.51

62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 R 19.06

$2.21 ฿72.1

-48.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 R 22.92

$3.80 ฿124

-63.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 R 19.18

$1.64 ฿53.5

-30.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 16.02

$1.62 ฿53.1

-40.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 R 23.30

$1.18 ฿38.62

17.80%

Eggs

$1.59 R 26.73

$2.01 ฿65.8

-20.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 R 93.5

$15.89 ฿520

-64.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 R 77.4

$3.01 ฿98.5

53.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 R 106

$10.77 ฿352

-41.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 R 25.08

$2.61 ฿85.5

-42.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 R 16.91

$1.22 ฿39.88

-17.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 R 18.30

$1.70 ฿55.7

-35.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 R 19.44

$1.58 ฿51.5

-26.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.90

$1.32 ฿43.14

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R 18.65

$1.17 ฿38.23

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 R 19.63

$0.67 ฿21.98

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 15.25

$0.56 ฿18.32

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 R 37.41

$4.53 ฿148

-50.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.81 R 80.7

$18.20 ฿595

-73.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 R 27.43

$1.83 ฿60.0

-10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 R 33.70

$3.23 ฿106

-37.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 R 21.64

$0.89 ฿29.00

44.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.64 R 648

$19.38 ฿634

99.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 19.05

$1.35 ฿44.20

-15.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 16.14

$1.35 ฿44.05

-28.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 R 68.3

$8.25 ฿270

-50.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.86

$1.27 ฿41.64

-2.36%

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

$21.3K R 356.6K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

0.50%

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

$23.7K R 397.0K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

5.27%

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

$116 R 1,949

$70.2 ฿2,294

65.67%

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

$35.10 R 589

$13.77 ฿450

154.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.23 R 708

$17.60 ฿575

139.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.54 R 512

$41.57 ฿1,360

-26.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$6.82 R 114

$5.78 ฿189

17.99%

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

$201 R 3,369

$306 ฿10.0K

-34.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,340 R 72.8K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-70.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 R 849

$54.4 ฿1,778

-6.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.83 R 551

$26.14 ฿855

25.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 R 1,470

$84.5 ฿2,764

3.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 R 1,349

$69.4 ฿2,270

15.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 R 6,111

$424 ฿13.9K

-13.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 R 5,535

$238 ฿7,788

38.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$679 R 11.4K

$825 ฿27.0K

-17.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 R 11.7K

$515 ฿16.8K

35.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 R 12.9K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-62.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$678 R 11.4K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-55.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,178 R 19.8K

$635 ฿20.8K

85.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

130.20%

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

Last update for Middelburg: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Middelburg 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 85% higher in Middelburg, 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 $34.00 in Middelburg versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $160 in Middelburg vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Middelburg 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

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

Middelburg costs about 18% 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 $1,514 per month in Middelburg 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 $201 per month in Middelburg and $306 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 52% cheaper in Middelburg – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,009 in Middelburg and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,009 in Middelburg. 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, Middelburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.