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 $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Moca vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,570 per month in Moca vs $1,838 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.58 DOP 500

$1.96 ฿65.7

337.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 DOP 2,976

$18.35 ฿616

178.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 DOP 419

$7.48 ฿251

-3.88%

Cappuccino

$2.75 DOP 160

$2.02 ฿67.7

36.14%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.7

$0.85 ฿28.45

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 DOP 45.65

$0.36 ฿11.94

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 DOP 148

$2.14 ฿71.7

18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 DOP 298

$3.59 ฿121

42.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 DOP 63.4

$1.65 ฿55.4

-33.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 DOP 76.8

$1.57 ฿52.6

-15.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 DOP 89.9

$1.19 ฿39.95

29.41%

Eggs

$1.32 DOP 77.2

$1.94 ฿65.0

-31.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.66 DOP 388

$16.19 ฿544

-58.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 DOP 362

$2.99 ฿100

107.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 DOP 633

$10.94 ฿367

-0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 DOP 192

$2.71 ฿91.0

21.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 DOP 33.37

$1.17 ฿39.18

-51.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 DOP 169

$1.69 ฿56.6

71.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.4

$1.60 ฿53.9

-42.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 DOP 141

$1.38 ฿46.45

76.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 DOP 112

$1.20 ฿40.38

60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 DOP 65.5

$0.67 ฿22.46

67.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.6

$0.56 ฿18.70

73.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 DOP 335

$4.64 ฿156

23.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.68 DOP 622

$17.62 ฿591

-39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 DOP 154

$1.86 ฿62.4

42.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 DOP 180

$3.30 ฿111

-6.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 DOP 204

$1.36 ฿45.82

157.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 DOP 127

$1.34 ฿44.90

62.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 DOP 348

$8.21 ฿276

-27.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 DOP 75.5

$1.22 ฿41.11

6.56%

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

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

22.49%

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

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

42.49%

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

$22.14 DOP 1,290

$70.7 ฿2,372

-68.67%

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

$25.73 DOP 1,498

$14.04 ฿471

83.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.98 DOP 1,455

$17.49 ฿587

42.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.92 DOP 1,277

$42.15 ฿1,415

-48.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 DOP 385

$5.92 ฿199

11.49%

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

$265 DOP 15.4K

$309 ฿10.4K

-14.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,135 DOP 473.8K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-45.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 DOP 3,563

$55.8 ฿1,872

9.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 DOP 2,996

$26.11 ฿877

97.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 DOP 5,702

$83.0 ฿2,787

17.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 DOP 6,611

$70.5 ฿2,365

61.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 DOP 6,896

$239 ฿8,020

-50.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Moca versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Moca vs $243 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 13% 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 $1,142 per month in Moca and $1,292 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 $18.00 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 $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Moca costs $762 versus $861 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.