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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $933 per month in Moka vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,520 per month in Moka vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,107 per month in Moka vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moka is about 1% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Moka and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Moka 32% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.50 MUR 306

$2.08 ฿69.2

212.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.09 MUR 1,274

$19.64 ฿651

37.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 MUR 330

$5.65 ฿188

24.07%

Cappuccino

$2.61 MUR 123

$1.81 ฿59.9

44.20%

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

$1.13 MUR 53.1

$0.71 ฿23.66

59.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MUR 28.72

$0.32 ฿10.48

90.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 MUR 122

$2.24 ฿74.2

15.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 MUR 179

$3.63 ฿121

4.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MUR 70.6

$1.96 ฿65.0

-23.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 MUR 37.34

$1.50 ฿49.83

-47.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MUR 54.7

$1.34 ฿44.32

-13.43%

Eggs

$2.37 MUR 111

$2.26 ฿75.1

4.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.41 MUR 254

$16.26 ฿539

-66.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 MUR 303

$2.95 ฿98.0

118.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 MUR 535

$9.94 ฿330

14.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 MUR 98.5

$2.57 ฿85.3

-18.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 MUR 115

$1.06 ฿35.04

130.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 67.5

$1.61 ฿53.5

-10.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 MUR 142

$1.52 ฿50.4

98.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 46.93

$1.27 ฿42.14

-21.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MUR 45.57

$1.07 ฿35.37

-9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MUR 43.43

$0.72 ฿23.89

27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.30

$0.51 ฿16.87

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 MUR 297

$4.19 ฿139

50.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 MUR 477

$17.87 ฿593

-43.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 MUR 102

$1.69 ฿56.2

28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 MUR 104

$2.84 ฿94.1

-22.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 MUR 203

$1.23 ฿40.95

250.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.84 MUR 134

$0.58 ฿19.13

389.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.69 MUR 1,068

$2.42 ฿80.4

837.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MUR 75.2

$1.41 ฿46.84

13.48%

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

$32.7K MUR 1.5M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

52.39%

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

$31.0K MUR 1.5M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

13.26%

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

$42.95 MUR 2,021

$63.7 ฿2,112

-32.54%

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

$10.71 MUR 504

$12.85 ฿426

-16.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.59 MUR 1,110

$20.22 ฿671

16.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.16 MUR 996

$38.74 ฿1,285

-45.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 MUR 277

$6.74 ฿223

-12.61%

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

$129 MUR 6,075

$778 ฿25.8K

-83.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,690 MUR 361.8K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-47.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 MUR 3,809

$54.3 ฿1,801

49.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.99 MUR 1,975

$25.45 ฿844

64.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 MUR 4,467

$94.3 ฿3,129

0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 MUR 3,673

$73.4 ฿2,436

6.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 MUR 24.8K

$490 ฿16.2K

7.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MUR 14.9K

$289 ฿9,596

9.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 MUR 42.4K

$894 ฿29.6K

0.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 MUR 33.9K

$517 ฿17.1K

39.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 MUR 32.6K

$602 ฿20.0K

15.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

5.57

13.82%

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

Last update for Moka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $527 in Moka versus $490 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.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Moka, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Moka versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $216 in Moka vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Moka 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Moka, 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 $1,400 per month in Moka and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Moka, 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 $27.00 in Moka 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 11% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moka, where all-in costs run around $933, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Moka 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. Moka costs $933 versus $947 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 Moka. 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.