Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toliara and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Toliara: $174 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Toliara

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$174

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toliara and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Toliara and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $174 per month in Toliara vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Toliara $174
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $261 per month in Toliara vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Toliara $261
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $349 per month in Toliara vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Toliara $349
Chiang Mai $1,979

Toliara is about 81% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Toliara and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Toliara 87% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 MGA 7,855

$2.24 ฿75.6

-23.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$0.78 MGA 3,585

$1.67 ฿56.5

-53.29%

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

$0.67 MGA 3,082

$0.64 ฿21.55

4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MGA 6,505

$1.95 ฿65.8

-27.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.41 MGA 1,871

$1.33 ฿45.04

-69.17%

Eggs

$2.08 MGA 9,499

$2.28 ฿77.1

-8.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 MGA 21.5K

$2.78 ฿93.9

68.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.94 MGA 22.6K

$9.31 ฿314

-46.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 MGA 3,120

$0.97 ฿32.80

-29.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MGA 7,685

$1.50 ฿50.6

12.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 MGA 2,372

$1.28 ฿43.12

-59.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MGA 3,071

$0.49 ฿16.37

36.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.80 MGA 8,253

$4.14 ฿140

-56.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.48 MGA 25.1K

$17.52 ฿591

-68.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MGA 2,877

$1.61 ฿54.5

-60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

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

$16.30 MGA 74.6K

$12.17 ฿411

33.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.49 MGA 153.3K

$20.12 ฿679

66.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Toliara: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toliara

–

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Groceries & Markets

Toliara

–

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Toliara

–

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toliara

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Toliara

–

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Getting Around

Toliara

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Toliara

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Good to know

🇲🇬 Toliara

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

08:05 8:05 AM

12:05 12:05 PM

4 h ahead of Toliara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

168,756

127,240

💱 Currency

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to MGA – Malagasy Ariary Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇬 Malagasy Ariary (Ar)

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4,577 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD). 1 EUR = 5,110 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to MGA in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Toliara Chiang Mai 7,610 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Toliara
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 437% more than Toliara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $261 per month in Toliara and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $174 in Toliara and $936 in Chiang Mai. That makes Toliara about 81% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 138% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Toliara, where all-in costs run around $174, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Toliara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $174 in Toliara to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.