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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,078 per month in Midlands vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,741 per month in Midlands vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,405 per month in Midlands vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Midlands costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Midlands and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Midlands 20% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 MUR 314

$1.98 ฿64.3

236.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.23 MUR 2,083

$18.80 ฿612

135.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 MUR 339

$7.75 ฿252

-7.10%

Cappuccino

$2.54 MUR 119

$1.92 ฿62.5

32.29%

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

$0.95 MUR 44.91

$0.79 ฿25.79

20.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.91

$0.36 ฿11.62

63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MUR 105

$2.21 ฿72.1

0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 MUR 156

$3.66 ฿119

-9.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MUR 79.2

$1.65 ฿53.8

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 33.50

$1.63 ฿53.2

-56.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 62.1

$1.19 ฿38.86

10.92%

Eggs

$2.35 MUR 111

$2.00 ฿65.1

17.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 MUR 551

$15.98 ฿520

-26.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 MUR 288

$3.03 ฿98.5

101.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 MUR 589

$10.86 ฿354

15.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 93.6

$2.76 ฿90.0

-27.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MUR 94.7

$1.18 ฿38.42

70.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MUR 71.1

$1.64 ฿53.5

-7.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 MUR 128

$1.52 ฿49.51

78.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.48

$1.38 ฿45.10

-28.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MUR 43.70

$1.19 ฿38.84

-21.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 MUR 37.14

$0.70 ฿22.86

12.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MUR 38.22

$0.56 ฿18.13

44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 MUR 306

$4.58 ฿149

41.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 MUR 389

$16.56 ฿539

-50.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MUR 81.0

$1.83 ฿59.5

-6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 MUR 104

$3.20 ฿104

-30.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 MUR 47.34

$0.88 ฿28.56

14.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MUR 211

$1.36 ฿44.16

230.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 MUR 129

$1.34 ฿43.65

105.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.01 MUR 942

$7.84 ฿256

155.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 66.0

$1.23 ฿39.92

13.82%

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

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

65.07%

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

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

29.02%

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

$49.38 MUR 2,325

$70.5 ฿2,298

-30.00%

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

$18.03 MUR 849

$13.68 ฿445

31.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.05 MUR 1,556

$17.45 ฿568

89.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.69 MUR 1,775

$41.33 ฿1,346

-8.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 MUR 277

$5.77 ฿188

2.08%

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

$155 MUR 7,285

$307 ฿10.0K

-49.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,035 MUR 190.0K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-72.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 MUR 4,069

$55.8 ฿1,817

54.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.5 MUR 3,745

$26.21 ฿854

203.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 MUR 6,128

$85.8 ฿2,793

51.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 MUR 4,495

$72.2 ฿2,353

32.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 MUR 24.3K

$430 ฿14.0K

19.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 MUR 16.9K

$239 ฿7,774

50.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 MUR 43.8K

$817 ฿26.6K

13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 MUR 33.8K

$511 ฿16.6K

40.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

33.40%

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

Last update for Midlands: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Midlands 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 $44.00 in Midlands versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Midlands vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Midlands 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

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

Midlands costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,617 per month in Midlands 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Midlands and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Midlands – 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 Midlands at $1,078. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Midlands it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,078 in Midlands. 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, Midlands makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.