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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $620 per month in Moca vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $995 per month in Moca vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,369 per month in Moca vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moca is about 35% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Moca and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Moca 55% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 DOP 500

$2.10 ฿69.3

303.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.60 DOP 2,512

$19.84 ฿656

114.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 DOP 418

$5.79 ฿191

22.45%

Cappuccino

$1.80 DOP 106

$1.83 ฿60.4

-1.64%

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

$0.68 DOP 40.22

$0.78 ฿25.61

-12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 DOP 24.51

$0.31 ฿10.37

35.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 DOP 154

$2.34 ฿77.2

11.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 DOP 214

$3.70 ฿122

-2.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 DOP 71.1

$2.03 ฿67.1

-40.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 DOP 90.3

$1.60 ฿52.7

-4.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 DOP 95.2

$1.42 ฿46.75

13.38%

Eggs

$1.55 DOP 91.5

$2.18 ฿71.9

-28.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.37 DOP 376

$15.91 ฿526

-59.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 DOP 223

$3.07 ฿102

22.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.74 DOP 279

$9.87 ฿326

-51.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 DOP 193

$2.63 ฿86.8

24.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 DOP 50.8

$1.10 ฿36.19

-21.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 DOP 167

$1.63 ฿53.8

73.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 DOP 110

$1.53 ฿50.6

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 DOP 122

$1.24 ฿41.13

66.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 DOP 129

$1.13 ฿37.37

94.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 DOP 56.5

$0.74 ฿24.38

29.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 DOP 58.0

$0.50 ฿16.48

96.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 DOP 298

$4.28 ฿141

17.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 DOP 636

$17.97 ฿594

-39.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 DOP 159

$1.70 ฿56.1

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 DOP 177

$2.90 ฿95.7

3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 DOP 151

$1.23 ฿40.76

108.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 DOP 138

$0.53 ฿17.66

339.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 DOP 343

$2.40 ฿79.3

142.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 DOP 79.6

$1.44 ฿47.55

-6.25%

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

$15.5K DOP 915.7K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

-26.72%

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

$25.3K DOP 1.5M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-7.42%

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

$94.2 DOP 5,556

$64.9 ฿2,145

45.13%

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

$27.21 DOP 1,605

$13.35 ฿441

103.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.50 DOP 2,152

$20.83 ฿688

75.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 DOP 298

$6.71 ฿222

-24.74%

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

$150 DOP 8,869

$787 ฿26.0K

-80.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,622 DOP 331.5K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-62.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.80 DOP 1,580

$56.2 ฿1,858

-52.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.99 DOP 2,712

$24.95 ฿824

84.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 DOP 3,704

$92.7 ฿3,063

-32.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.2 DOP 4,023

$75.1 ฿2,482

-9.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Moca: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Moca versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Moca vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Moca 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than Moca, 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 $930 per month in Moca and $1,426 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 $43.00 in Moca 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 20% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Moca, where all-in costs run around $620, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Moca 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. Moca costs $620 versus $950 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 Moca. 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.