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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $672 per month in Msaken vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,076 per month in Msaken vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,480 per month in Msaken vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Msaken is about 22% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Msaken and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Msaken 50% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 TND 14.20

$1.96 ฿65.9

155.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.30 TND 66.0

$18.35 ฿617

26.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 TND 14.09

$7.48 ฿252

-33.56%

Cappuccino

$1.02 TND 2.89

$2.02 ฿67.8

-49.50%

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

$0.70 TND 1.97

$0.85 ฿28.52

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.82

$0.36 ฿11.97

-19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 TND 3.47

$2.14 ฿71.9

-42.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 TND 7.47

$3.59 ฿121

-26.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.50 TND 1.43

$1.65 ฿55.5

-69.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 TND 0.45

$1.57 ฿52.7

-89.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 TND 3.68

$1.19 ฿40.05

9.24%

Eggs

$1.67 TND 4.74

$1.94 ฿65.1

-13.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 TND 34.39

$16.19 ฿545

-25.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 TND 17.53

$2.99 ฿101

107.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 TND 39.79

$10.94 ฿368

28.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 TND 5.68

$2.71 ฿91.2

-26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 TND 8.92

$1.17 ฿39.27

169.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 TND 3.29

$1.69 ฿56.8

-31.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.12

$1.60 ฿54.0

-53.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 TND 2.00

$1.38 ฿46.56

-48.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 TND 1.64

$1.20 ฿40.47

-51.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.23

$0.67 ฿22.51

-35.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.88

$0.56 ฿18.74

-44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 TND 9.34

$4.64 ฿156

-29.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 TND 17.05

$17.62 ฿593

-65.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 TND 3.25

$1.86 ฿62.6

-38.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 TND 3.96

$3.30 ฿111

-57.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 TND 0.99

$0.88 ฿29.70

-60.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.00 TND 28.33

$19.34 ฿651

-48.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 TND 0.88

$1.36 ฿45.92

-77.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.94

$1.34 ฿45.00

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 TND 9.89

$8.21 ฿276

-57.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 TND 2.47

$1.22 ฿41.20

-28.69%

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

$41.2K TND 116.7K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

92.89%

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

$35.6K TND 100.8K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

57.87%

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

$57.8 TND 164

$70.7 ฿2,378

-18.17%

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

$9.77 TND 27.68

$14.04 ฿472

-30.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 TND 53.3

$17.49 ฿589

7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.44 TND 66.4

$42.15 ฿1,418

-44.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.89 TND 36.52

$6.88 ฿231

87.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.50 TND 15.58

$5.92 ฿199

-7.09%

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

$106 TND 302

$309 ฿10.4K

-65.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,182 TND 9,015

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-78.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.28 TND 120

$55.8 ฿1,876

-24.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 TND 174

$26.11 ฿879

135.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 TND 289

$83.0 ฿2,793

22.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 TND 224

$70.5 ฿2,371

12.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 TND 553

$432 ฿14.5K

-54.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 TND 377

$239 ฿8,040

-44.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 TND 1,081

$822 ฿27.7K

-53.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 TND 763

$512 ฿17.2K

-47.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,043 TND 2,957

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-45.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$632 TND 1,790

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-56.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 TND 693

$579 ฿19.5K

-57.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

119.20%

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

Last update for Msaken: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $195 in Msaken versus $432 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 137% 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 $23.00 in Msaken versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Msaken vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Msaken 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than Msaken, 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 $1,008 per month in Msaken and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $106 per month in Msaken and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $672 in Msaken and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Msaken costs $672 versus $861 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 Msaken. 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.