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 $544 per month in Molo vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $882 per month in Molo vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,220 per month in Molo vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Molo is about 42% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Molo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Molo 60% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 KES 589

$2.08 ฿69.2

118.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.29 KES 4,566

$19.61 ฿652

79.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 KES 781

$5.67 ฿189

6.35%

Cappuccino

$2.75 KES 356

$1.81 ฿60.0

51.93%

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

$0.58 KES 75.6

$0.77 ฿25.55

-24.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$0.35 ฿11.48

82.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 293

$2.21 ฿73.6

2.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 343

$3.79 ฿126

-30.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 122

$2.05 ฿68.1

-54.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 KES 74.4

$1.51 ฿50.4

-61.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 KES 241

$1.40 ฿46.51

32.86%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 220

$2.26 ฿75.1

-24.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 KES 1,380

$16.19 ฿538

-34.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 KES 819

$2.90 ฿96.3

118.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.11 KES 791

$9.42 ฿313

-35.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 KES 428

$2.68 ฿89.1

23.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.09 ฿36.23

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 267

$1.62 ฿53.8

27.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 KES 146

$1.46 ฿48.55

-22.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$1.28 ฿42.48

-10.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.06 ฿35.17

2.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 87.3

$0.72 ฿23.85

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.8

$0.53 ฿17.49

39.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 445

$4.23 ฿141

-18.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 KES 1,503

$18.29 ฿608

-36.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 KES 300

$1.63 ฿54.2

42.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$2.90 ฿96.5

-5.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.17 ฿38.99

29.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$0.58 ฿19.22

160.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 KES 378

$2.39 ฿79.3

22.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.45 ฿48.22

8.28%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

3.14%

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

$20.5K KES 2.7M

$26.4K ฿878.6K

-22.46%

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

$62.5 KES 8,082

$63.7 ฿2,116

-1.87%

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

$15.75 KES 2,038

$12.89 ฿429

22.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 KES 4,616

$20.52 ฿682

73.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 KES 1,022

$6.58 ฿219

20.06%

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

$246 KES 31.8K

$784 ฿26.1K

-68.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-21.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.81 KES 3,599

$55.1 ฿1,833

-49.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.43 KES 3,679

$24.74 ฿823

14.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 KES 8,909

$94.1 ฿3,130

-26.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 KES 7,498

$74.0 ฿2,459

-21.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$386 KES 49.9K

$602 ฿20.0K

-35.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

5.57

164.09%

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

Last update for Molo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 56% 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 $35.00 in Molo versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Molo vs $241 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 71% more than Molo, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $816 per month in Molo and $1,398 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 $35.00 in Molo 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 17% 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 Molo, where all-in costs run around $544, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Molo 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. Molo costs $544 versus $932 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.