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 $670 per month in Msaken vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,077 per month in Msaken vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,483 per month in Msaken vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Msaken is about 23% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 TND 14.42

$1.94 ฿63.5

155.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 TND 70.1

$18.64 ฿609

29.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 TND 14.69

$7.82 ฿255

-35.29%

Cappuccino

$1.02 TND 2.97

$1.95 ฿63.8

-47.69%

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

$0.69 TND 2.02

$0.85 ฿27.77

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.84

$0.35 ฿11.58

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 TND 3.41

$2.13 ฿69.6

-45.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 TND 8.01

$3.73 ฿122

-26.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.71 ฿56.0

-71.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 TND 0.48

$1.63 ฿53.2

-89.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 TND 3.75

$1.14 ฿37.15

13.16%

Eggs

$1.67 TND 4.86

$1.93 ฿63.1

-13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 TND 35.00

$16.21 ฿530

-25.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 TND 18.37

$3.12 ฿102

102.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.76 TND 39.95

$10.90 ฿356

26.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 TND 6.06

$2.75 ฿90.0

-24.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.20 TND 9.30

$1.21 ฿39.52

164.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.26

$1.62 ฿53.0

-30.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.19

$1.59 ฿51.8

-52.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 TND 2.02

$1.40 ฿45.70

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 TND 1.71

$1.17 ฿38.17

-49.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 TND 1.17

$0.66 ฿21.60

-39.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.84

$0.53 ฿17.22

-45.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 TND 9.96

$4.69 ฿153

-26.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 TND 17.23

$18.66 ฿609

-68.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 TND 3.35

$1.80 ฿58.8

-36.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 TND 3.86

$3.23 ฿106

-58.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 TND 1.03

$0.90 ฿29.26

-61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 TND 28.96

$19.21 ฿628

-48.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$1.41 ฿45.91

-78.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$1.29 ฿42.12

-75.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 TND 10.14

$7.84 ฿256

-55.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 TND 2.56

$1.27 ฿41.58

-30.71%

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

$40.0K TND 116.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

87.93%

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

$35.9K TND 104.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

61.48%

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

$58.2 TND 169

$69.1 ฿2,256

-15.69%

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

$9.99 TND 28.99

$14.08 ฿460

-29.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.91 TND 54.9

$18.00 ฿588

5.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.79 TND 69.1

$41.06 ฿1,341

-42.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.54 TND 36.42

$6.96 ฿227

80.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.32 TND 15.44

$5.92 ฿193

-10.14%

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

$106 TND 308

$299 ฿9,766

-64.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,137 TND 9,109

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-79.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.07 TND 119

$54.7 ฿1,787

-24.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 TND 176

$26.77 ฿874

126.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 TND 293

$85.0 ฿2,776

18.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.2 TND 230

$70.6 ฿2,306

12.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 TND 566

$428 ฿14.0K

-54.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 TND 395

$237 ฿7,752

-42.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 TND 1,083

$801 ฿26.2K

-53.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 TND 780

$515 ฿16.8K

-47.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$987 TND 2,866

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-50.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 TND 2,076

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-51.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 TND 719

$617 ฿20.2K

-59.92%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $195 in Msaken 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 149% 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 Msaken versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $194 in Msaken vs $246 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 29% 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 $1,006 per month in Msaken 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 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 $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $670 in Msaken and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Msaken costs $670 versus $866 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.