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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $509 per month in Molo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $843 per month in Molo vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,176 per month in Molo vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Molo is about 40% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Molo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Molo 62% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 KES 713

$2.04 ฿68.2

170.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.20 KES 5,067

$18.71 ฿624

109.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 KES 888

$7.86 ฿262

-12.60%

Cappuccino

$2.45 KES 316

$2.03 ฿67.7

20.69%

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

$0.72 KES 92.7

$0.80 ฿26.64

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.5

$0.35 ฿11.68

54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 294

$2.14 ฿71.5

6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 370

$3.67 ฿122

-21.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 119

$1.73 ฿57.6

-46.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.8

$1.57 ฿52.4

-63.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.20 ฿39.99

32.50%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 217

$1.97 ฿65.8

-14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.53 KES 1,490

$16.23 ฿541

-28.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 KES 885

$3.06 ฿102

123.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.46 KES 706

$10.80 ฿360

-49.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 KES 406

$2.77 ฿92.3

13.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.17 ฿38.94

-8.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 KES 276

$1.71 ฿57.0

25.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.59 ฿53.2

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.39 ฿46.51

-25.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 KES 145

$1.16 ฿38.56

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.4

$0.66 ฿22.05

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 105

$0.52 ฿17.31

55.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 393

$4.65 ฿155

-34.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 KES 1,514

$17.78 ฿593

-34.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.79 ฿59.6

24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 KES 346

$3.34 ฿111

-19.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.41 ฿47.04

6.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.34 ฿44.70

12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 KES 366

$8.11 ฿270

-65.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.23 ฿41.16

29.27%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

1.17%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

-7.45%

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

$34.40 KES 4,447

$71.3 ฿2,379

-51.77%

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

$17.11 KES 2,211

$14.01 ฿467

22.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.29 KES 5,078

$17.93 ฿598

119.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 KES 812

$5.72 ฿191

9.79%

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

$202 KES 26.1K

$308 ฿10.3K

-34.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,932 KES 1.0M

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-45.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.28 KES 2,363

$55.8 ฿1,860

-67.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.43 KES 3,157

$26.04 ฿869

-6.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 KES 8,560

$84.8 ฿2,829

-21.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 KES 7,361

$71.0 ฿2,368

-19.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$390 KES 50.4K

$595 ฿19.9K

-34.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

196.80%

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

Last update for Molo: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 53% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Molo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Molo vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Molo 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 68% more than Molo, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $763 per month in Molo and $1,279 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 $39.00 in Molo 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 18% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $509 in Molo and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Molo costs $509 versus $852 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 Molo. 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.