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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $659 per month in Monastir vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,083 per month in Monastir vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,507 per month in Monastir vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Monastir is about 23% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Monastir and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Monastir 51% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 TND 11.52

$1.96 ฿64.0

103.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.53 TND 68.0

$18.81 ฿615

25.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 TND 14.38

$7.92 ฿259

-37.12%

Cappuccino

$0.91 TND 2.63

$1.91 ฿62.6

-52.36%

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

$0.73 TND 2.11

$0.84 ฿27.41

-13.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.83

$0.35 ฿11.51

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 TND 4.99

$2.21 ฿72.1

-22.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 TND 5.33

$3.80 ฿124

-51.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.46 TND 1.33

$1.64 ฿53.5

-71.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 TND 0.45

$1.62 ฿53.1

-90.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 TND 5.24

$1.18 ฿38.62

53.39%

Eggs

$1.49 TND 4.30

$2.01 ฿65.8

-25.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 TND 35.14

$15.89 ฿520

-23.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.75 TND 16.62

$3.01 ฿98.5

91.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.69 TND 39.58

$10.77 ฿352

27.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 TND 4.57

$2.61 ฿85.5

-39.46%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 TND 9.11

$1.22 ฿39.88

158.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 TND 2.78

$1.70 ฿55.7

-43.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 TND 2.21

$1.58 ฿51.5

-51.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 TND 2.03

$1.32 ฿43.14

-46.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 TND 1.68

$1.17 ฿38.23

-50.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 TND 1.33

$0.67 ฿21.98

-31.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.83

$0.56 ฿18.32

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 TND 9.99

$4.53 ฿148

-23.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 TND 14.74

$18.20 ฿595

-71.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 TND 3.45

$1.83 ฿60.0

-34.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 TND 3.92

$3.23 ฿106

-57.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 TND 1.10

$0.89 ฿29.00

-57.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.17 TND 32.29

$19.38 ฿634

-42.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.93

$1.35 ฿44.20

-76.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$1.35 ฿44.05

-77.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 TND 9.55

$8.25 ฿270

-59.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 TND 2.42

$1.27 ฿41.64

-33.86%

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

$40.0K TND 115.6K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

89.15%

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

$36.1K TND 104.2K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

60.34%

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

$57.5 TND 166

$70.2 ฿2,294

-18.00%

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

$10.25 TND 29.62

$13.77 ฿450

-25.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.66 TND 53.9

$17.60 ฿575

6.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.43 TND 59.0

$41.57 ฿1,360

-50.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 TND 19.70

$6.60 ฿216

3.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 TND 16.03

$5.78 ฿189

-3.98%

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

$105 TND 305

$306 ฿10.0K

-65.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,182 TND 9,197

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-78.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.15 TND 133

$54.4 ฿1,778

-15.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 TND 174

$26.14 ฿855

129.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 TND 329

$84.5 ฿2,764

34.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 TND 241

$69.4 ฿2,270

20.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 TND 597

$424 ฿13.9K

-51.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 TND 384

$238 ฿7,788

-44.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 TND 1,376

$825 ฿27.0K

-42.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 TND 797

$515 ฿16.8K

-46.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,273 TND 3,680

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-37.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$633 TND 1,828

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-58.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$357 TND 1,032

$635 ฿20.8K

-43.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

120.00%

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

Last update for Monastir: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $207 in Monastir versus $424 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 78% 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 $24.00 in Monastir versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Monastir vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Monastir 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Monastir, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $988 per month in Monastir and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Monastir, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $105 per month in Monastir and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $659 in Monastir and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Monastir costs $659 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 Monastir. 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.