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 $762 per month in Moca vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,165 per month in Moca vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,567 per month in Moca vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moca is about 12% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Moca and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Moca 43% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 DOP 508

$1.94 ฿63.5

348.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 DOP 2,984

$18.64 ฿609

174.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 DOP 442

$7.82 ฿255

-3.07%

Cappuccino

$2.71 DOP 158

$1.95 ฿63.8

38.97%

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

$1.03 DOP 60.1

$0.85 ฿27.77

21.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 DOP 45.06

$0.35 ฿11.58

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 DOP 153

$2.13 ฿69.6

23.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 DOP 293

$3.73 ฿122

34.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 DOP 62.6

$1.71 ฿56.0

-37.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 DOP 77.1

$1.63 ฿53.2

-19.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 DOP 90.9

$1.14 ฿37.15

36.84%

Eggs

$1.34 DOP 78.3

$1.93 ฿63.1

-30.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 DOP 386

$16.21 ฿530

-59.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 DOP 377

$3.12 ฿102

107.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 DOP 651

$10.90 ฿356

2.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 185

$2.75 ฿90.0

15.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 DOP 33.55

$1.21 ฿39.52

-52.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 DOP 177

$1.62 ฿53.0

87.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 DOP 53.3

$1.59 ฿51.8

-42.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 DOP 150

$1.40 ฿45.70

83.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 DOP 108

$1.17 ฿38.17

58.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 65.9

$0.66 ฿21.60

71.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.4

$0.53 ฿17.22

83.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 DOP 337

$4.69 ฿153

23.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 DOP 620

$18.66 ฿609

-43.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 DOP 159

$1.80 ฿58.8

51.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 DOP 184

$3.23 ฿106

-2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 DOP 202

$1.41 ฿45.91

146.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 DOP 129

$1.29 ฿42.12

71.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 DOP 355

$7.84 ฿256

-22.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 DOP 76.9

$1.27 ฿41.58

3.94%

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

26.44%

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

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

40.32%

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

$22.40 DOP 1,306

$69.1 ฿2,256

-67.57%

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

$25.15 DOP 1,467

$14.08 ฿460

78.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.63 DOP 1,495

$18.00 ฿588

42.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.05 DOP 1,286

$41.06 ฿1,341

-46.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 DOP 386

$5.92 ฿193

11.82%

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

$271 DOP 15.8K

$299 ฿9,766

-9.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,018 DOP 467.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-46.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 DOP 3,441

$54.7 ฿1,787

7.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 DOP 3,014

$26.77 ฿874

93.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 DOP 5,664

$85.0 ฿2,776

14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,737

$70.6 ฿2,306

63.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 DOP 6,995

$237 ฿7,752

-49.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

158.00%

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

Last update for Moca: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Moca versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Moca vs $246 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 14% 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 $1,143 per month in Moca and $1,300 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 $51.0 in Moca and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $762 in Moca and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Moca costs $762 versus $866 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.