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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,685 per month in Mosta vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,538 per month in Mosta vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,390 per month in Mosta vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mosta costs about 95% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mosta sits 26% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 €14.71

$1.94 ฿63.5

781.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €59.9

$18.64 ฿609

273.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 €10.11

$7.82 ฿255

50.38%

Cappuccino

$2.53 €2.18

$1.95 ฿63.8

29.74%

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

$1.77 €1.52

$0.85 ฿27.77

108.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$0.35 ฿11.58

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.13 ฿69.6

32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 €3.62

$3.73 ฿122

12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.71 ฿56.0

-25.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.63 ฿53.2

-13.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$1.14 ฿37.15

209.65%

Eggs

$2.74 €2.35

$1.93 ฿63.1

41.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 €7.15

$16.21 ฿530

-48.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 €4.29

$3.12 ฿102

59.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 €8.84

$10.90 ฿356

-5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.75 ฿90.0

-11.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.21 ฿39.52

22.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.62 ฿53.0

8.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.59 ฿51.8

45.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.40 ฿45.70

-0.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 €2.35

$1.17 ฿38.17

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.66 ฿21.60

181.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 €0.65

$0.53 ฿17.22

43.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.64

$4.69 ฿153

39.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 €5.23

$18.66 ฿609

-67.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.80 ฿58.8

-35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$3.23 ฿106

-57.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.53

$0.90 ฿29.26

226.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.58

$1.41 ฿45.91

195.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.29 ฿42.12

48.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.86 €24.83

$7.84 ฿256

268.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.27 ฿41.58

18.90%

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

$26.0K €22.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

22.14%

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

$40.5K €34.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

82.45%

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

$88.3 €76.0

$69.1 ฿2,256

27.83%

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

$22.93 €19.72

$14.08 ฿460

62.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.77 €28.18

$18.00 ฿588

82.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 €58.5

$41.06 ฿1,341

65.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.65 €7.44

$6.96 ฿227

24.28%

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 €11.87

$5.92 ฿193

132.94%

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

$267 €229

$299 ฿9,766

-10.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K €9,789

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-23.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.4 €65.7

$54.7 ฿1,787

39.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.62 €32.36

$26.77 ฿874

40.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €92.2

$85.0 ฿2,776

26.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 €71.7

$70.6 ฿2,306

17.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 €816

$428 ฿14.0K

121.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 €709

$237 ฿7,752

247.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,440

$801 ฿26.2K

108.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 €1,183

$515 ฿16.8K

166.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,840 €1,583

$617 ฿20.2K

198.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.62

-7.60%

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

Last update for Mosta: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $949 in Mosta versus $428 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 198% higher in Mosta, 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 $70.0 in Mosta versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Mosta vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Mosta 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

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

Mosta costs about 95% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,528 per month in Mosta and $1,300 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Mosta and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Mosta – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Mosta at $1,685. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mosta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,685 in Mosta. 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, Mosta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.