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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $613 per month in Midlands vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,035 per month in Midlands vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,457 per month in Midlands vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Midlands is about 34% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Midlands and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Midlands 55% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.96 MUR 283

$2.08 ฿69.2

186.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.62 MUR 1,787

$19.61 ฿652

91.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.22 MUR 343

$5.67 ฿189

27.34%

Cappuccino

$2.63 MUR 125

$1.81 ฿60.0

45.30%

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

$1.15 MUR 54.5

$0.77 ฿25.55

49.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MUR 28.97

$0.35 ฿11.48

74.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 MUR 127

$2.21 ฿73.6

21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MUR 231

$3.79 ฿126

27.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MUR 76.4

$2.05 ฿68.1

-21.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 MUR 35.26

$1.51 ฿50.4

-50.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MUR 54.5

$1.40 ฿46.51

-17.86%

Eggs

$2.58 MUR 122

$2.26 ฿75.1

14.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 MUR 247

$16.19 ฿538

-67.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 MUR 307

$2.90 ฿96.3

122.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 MUR 536

$9.42 ฿313

19.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MUR 136

$2.68 ฿89.1

6.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 MUR 128

$1.09 ฿36.23

147.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 69.0

$1.62 ฿53.8

-10.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 MUR 140

$1.46 ฿48.55

102.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 45.33

$1.28 ฿42.48

-25.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 47.89

$1.06 ฿35.17

-4.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MUR 32.97

$0.72 ฿23.85

-4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MUR 41.18

$0.53 ฿17.49

64.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 MUR 309

$4.23 ฿141

53.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 MUR 392

$18.29 ฿608

-54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 MUR 78.1

$1.63 ฿54.2

0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MUR 110

$2.90 ฿96.5

-20.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 MUR 203

$1.17 ฿38.99

265.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 MUR 147

$0.58 ฿19.22

434.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.80 MUR 988

$2.39 ฿79.3

770.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MUR 64.1

$1.45 ฿48.22

-6.90%

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

$36.8K MUR 1.8M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

75.37%

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

$30.9K MUR 1.5M

$26.4K ฿878.6K

17.11%

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

$45.44 MUR 2,159

$63.7 ฿2,116

-28.61%

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

$10.65 MUR 506

$12.89 ฿429

-17.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.64 MUR 1,360

$20.52 ฿682

39.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 MUR 305

$6.58 ฿219

-2.58%

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

$127 MUR 6,018

$784 ฿26.1K

-83.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,573 MUR 359.7K

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-48.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 MUR 3,744

$55.1 ฿1,833

43.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 MUR 3,590

$24.74 ฿823

205.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 MUR 5,700

$94.1 ฿3,130

27.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 MUR 3,645

$74.0 ฿2,459

3.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.57

19.75%

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

Last update for Midlands: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Midlands versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $219 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

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Midlands, 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 $920 per month in Midlands and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Midlands and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chiang Mai, 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 Midlands, where all-in costs run around $613, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Midlands it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Midlands costs $613 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. 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 Midlands. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.