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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Monrovia vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,467 per month in Monrovia vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,542 per month in Monrovia vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Monrovia costs about 63% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Monrovia sits 4% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.48 LRD 1,377

$1.96 ฿63.6

281.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 LRD 27.4K

$18.81 ฿611

691.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 LRD 1,989

$7.92 ฿258

36.49%

Cappuccino

$3.34 LRD 615

$1.91 ฿62.2

74.87%

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

$2.05 LRD 377

$0.84 ฿27.25

144.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 LRD 499

$0.35 ฿11.44

674.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 LRD 510

$2.21 ฿71.7

25.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LRD 545

$3.80 ฿124

-22.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 LRD 398

$1.64 ฿53.2

32.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 LRD 324

$1.62 ฿52.8

8.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.09 LRD 936

$1.18 ฿38.40

331.36%

Eggs

$3.67 LRD 674

$2.01 ฿65.4

82.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 LRD 2,177

$15.89 ฿517

-25.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 LRD 2,199

$3.01 ฿98.0

297.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.17 LRD 6,655

$10.77 ฿350

235.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 LRD 306

$2.61 ฿85.0

-36.40%

Banana (1kg)

$8.24 LRD 1,516

$1.22 ฿39.65

575.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.24 LRD 1,883

$1.70 ฿55.4

502.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.92 LRD 2,010

$1.58 ฿51.2

591.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 LRD 413

$1.32 ฿42.89

69.70%

Onion (1kg)

$10.58 LRD 1,946

$1.17 ฿38.01

804.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.58 LRD 843

$0.67 ฿21.85

583.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 LRD 362

$0.56 ฿18.21

251.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.04 LRD 927

$4.53 ฿147

11.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 LRD 1,313

$18.20 ฿592

-60.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 LRD 470

$1.83 ฿59.6

39.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LRD 614

$3.23 ฿105

3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 LRD 537

$0.89 ฿28.83

228.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.95 LRD 3,670

$19.38 ฿630

2.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 LRD 497

$1.35 ฿43.95

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 LRD 231

$1.35 ฿43.79

-6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 LRD 3,211

$8.25 ฿268

111.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LRD 223

$1.27 ฿41.40

-4.72%

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

$12.4K LRD 2.3M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-41.26%

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

$14.8K LRD 2.7M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-34.27%

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

$273 LRD 50.2K

$70.2 ฿2,281

289.29%

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

$22.91 LRD 4,215

$13.77 ฿448

66.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.4 LRD 17.0K

$17.60 ฿572

424.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.7 LRD 14.1K

$41.57 ฿1,352

84.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.15 LRD 1,500

$6.60 ฿215

23.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.89 LRD 1,819

$5.78 ฿188

71.11%

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

$128 LRD 23.6K

$306 ฿9,953

-58.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$910 LRD 167.5K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-93.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.68 LRD 3,438

$54.4 ฿1,768

-65.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.89 LRD 6,235

$26.14 ฿850

29.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.7 LRD 10.2K

$84.5 ฿2,748

-34.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.1 LRD 12.7K

$69.4 ฿2,257

-0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 LRD 123.8K

$424 ฿13.8K

58.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.8 LRD 17.6K

$238 ฿7,743

-59.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 LRD 332.6K

$825 ฿26.8K

119.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 LRD 49.2K

$515 ฿16.7K

-48.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$695 LRD 127.8K

$635 ฿20.6K

9.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Monrovia: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $673 in Monrovia 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 9% higher in Monrovia, 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 $149 in Monrovia versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $535 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monrovia costs about 63% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $2,088 per month in Monrovia 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 Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $128 per month in Monrovia 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 120% more in Monrovia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Monrovia at $1,392. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monrovia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,392 in Monrovia. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Monrovia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.