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 $1,383 per month in Monrovia vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,463 per month in Monrovia vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,543 per month in Monrovia vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Monrovia costs about 59% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Monrovia sits 3% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 LRD 1,324

$1.98 ฿64.3

268.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$152 LRD 27.6K

$18.80 ฿612

709.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 LRD 2,007

$7.75 ฿252

42.84%

Cappuccino

$3.32 LRD 601

$1.92 ฿62.5

72.92%

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

$1.97 LRD 357

$0.79 ฿25.79

149.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 LRD 477

$0.36 ฿11.62

630.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 LRD 487

$2.21 ฿72.1

21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LRD 547

$3.66 ฿119

-17.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 LRD 389

$1.65 ฿53.8

29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 LRD 331

$1.63 ฿53.2

12.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.27 LRD 955

$1.19 ฿38.86

342.86%

Eggs

$3.57 LRD 647

$2.00 ฿65.1

78.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 LRD 2,151

$15.98 ฿520

-25.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 LRD 2,165

$3.03 ฿98.5

294.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.73 LRD 6,480

$10.86 ฿354

229.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 LRD 301

$2.76 ฿90.0

-39.86%

Banana (1kg)

$8.49 LRD 1,541

$1.18 ฿38.42

619.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.23 LRD 1,856

$1.64 ฿53.5

523.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.16 LRD 2,023

$1.52 ฿49.51

634.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 LRD 405

$1.38 ฿45.10

61.59%

Onion (1kg)

$10.60 LRD 1,922

$1.19 ฿38.84

790.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.58 LRD 830

$0.70 ฿22.86

554.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 LRD 357

$0.56 ฿18.13

251.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 LRD 889

$4.58 ฿149

6.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 LRD 1,236

$16.56 ฿539

-58.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 LRD 441

$1.83 ฿59.5

32.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LRD 604

$3.20 ฿104

4.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 LRD 530

$0.88 ฿28.56

231.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.78 LRD 3,586

$18.72 ฿610

5.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 LRD 495

$1.36 ฿44.16

100.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 LRD 227

$1.34 ฿43.65

-6.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.33 LRD 3,143

$7.84 ฿256

121.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LRD 229

$1.23 ฿39.92

2.44%

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

$12.5K LRD 2.3M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-42.13%

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

$14.9K LRD 2.7M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-33.98%

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

$270 LRD 49.0K

$70.5 ฿2,298

283.34%

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

$22.13 LRD 4,014

$13.68 ฿445

61.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.0 LRD 17.2K

$17.45 ฿568

444.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 LRD 13.7K

$41.33 ฿1,346

82.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.23 LRD 1,492

$6.96 ฿227

18.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 LRD 1,805

$5.77 ฿188

72.44%

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

$131 LRD 23.8K

$307 ฿10.0K

-57.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$895 LRD 162.3K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-93.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.05 LRD 3,274

$55.8 ฿1,817

-67.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 LRD 6,192

$26.21 ฿854

30.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 LRD 10.3K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-33.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 LRD 12.3K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-6.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 LRD 122.7K

$430 ฿14.0K

57.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.6 LRD 17.5K

$239 ฿7,774

-59.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 LRD 336.9K

$817 ฿26.6K

127.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 LRD 48.2K

$511 ฿16.6K

-47.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$713 LRD 129.3K

$619 ฿20.2K

15.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Monrovia: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $676 in Monrovia versus $430 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 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 $152 in Monrovia versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $536 vs $241 – 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 59% 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 $2,074 per month in Monrovia and $1,303 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 $131 per month in Monrovia and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 122% 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 $869, than in Monrovia at $1,383. 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 $869 versus $1,383 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.