Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yangon (Rangoon) and Mandalay

For one person, living is cheaper in Mandalay: $240 a month against $768 in Yangon (Rangoon), rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Yangon (Rangoon)
Learn more

Yangon (Rangoon) Living Index

Jump to prices

Yangon (Rangoon)

🇲🇲 Myanmar

$768

/mo nomad

Mandalay

🇲🇲 Myanmar

$240

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yangon (Rangoon) and in Mandalay

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $768 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $240 in Mandalay.

Yangon (Rangoon) $768
Mandalay $240

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,291 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $417 in Mandalay.

Yangon (Rangoon) $1,291
Mandalay $417

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $593 in Mandalay.

Yangon (Rangoon) $1,814
Mandalay $593

Living in Yangon (Rangoon) is roughly 220% more expensive than in Mandalay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yangon (Rangoon) 43% lower, Mandalay 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.53 MMK 5,292

$2.04 MMK 4,274

24.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.55 MMK 34.6K

$9.99 MMK 20.9K

65.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.92 MMK 6,119

Cappuccino

$1.67 MMK 3,495

$1.25 MMK 2,623

33.60%

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

$0.70 MMK 1,472

$0.86 MMK 1,805

-18.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MMK 1,284

$0.98 MMK 2,053

-37.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 MMK 2,137

$0.99 MMK 2,072

3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MMK 4,307

$1.23 MMK 2,576

67.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MMK 3,513

$1.02 MMK 2,134

64.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 MMK 2,377

$1.02 MMK 2,126

11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MMK 4,525

$0.51 MMK 1,063

323.53%

Eggs

$1.83 MMK 3,828

$0.94 MMK 1,969

94.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 MMK 13.2K

$9.97 MMK 20.9K

-36.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 MMK 9,813

$6.14 MMK 12.9K

-23.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.04 MMK 12.6K

$6.95 MMK 14.6K

-13.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 MMK 9,637

$4.14 MMK 8,666

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 MMK 2,368

$1.03 MMK 2,152

9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 MMK 8,388

$1.31 MMK 2,746

206.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 MMK 6,420

$0.71 MMK 1,496

332.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 MMK 5,389

$1.28 MMK 2,676

100.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 MMK 3,459

$1.23 MMK 2,567

34.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MMK 2,553

$0.39 MMK 817

212.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MMK 987

$0.29 MMK 599

62.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.59 MMK 3,337

$0.98 MMK 2,061

62.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 MMK 18.8K

$4.93 MMK 10.3K

82.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MMK 1,855

$0.60 MMK 1,266

48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MMK 2,526

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 MMK 544

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 MMK 24.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MMK 2,151

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MMK 2,050

$0.41 MMK 861

139.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 MMK 5,863

$4.03 MMK 8,429

-30.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$9.33 MMK 19.5K

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

$29.6K MMK 62.1M

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

$46.8K MMK 98.0M

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

$50.2 MMK 105.2K

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

$7.49 MMK 15.7K

$6.75 MMK 14.1K

10.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 MMK 39.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.34 MMK 40.5K

$17.93 MMK 37.5K

7.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.03 MMK 23.1K

Cinema Ticket

$2.54 MMK 5,311

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

$504 MMK 1.1M

$240 MMK 502.4K

110.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K MMK 35.8M

$5,674 MMK 11.9M

200.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.9 MMK 190.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.5 MMK 137.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MMK 215.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 MMK 266.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 MMK 771.7K

$203 MMK 424.2K

81.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 MMK 416.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 MMK 2.2M

$306 MMK 639.8K

239.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 MMK 1.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,173 MMK 4.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$927 MMK 1.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$274 MMK 572.7K

$196 MMK 411.4K

39.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Yangon (Rangoon): October 11, 2026

Last update for Mandalay: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Yangon (Rangoon)

$212 27.6%

Mandalay

–

Accommodation & Living

Yangon (Rangoon)

$199 25.9%

Mandalay

–

Clothing & Footwear

Yangon (Rangoon)

$174 22.7%

Mandalay

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Yangon (Rangoon)

$76 9.9%

Mandalay

–

Eating Out

Yangon (Rangoon)

$64 8.3%

Mandalay

–

Sport & Entertainment

Yangon (Rangoon)

$24 3.2%

Mandalay

–

Getting Around

Yangon (Rangoon)

$19 2.5%

Mandalay

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $369 in Yangon (Rangoon) and $203 in Mandalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yangon (Rangoon) pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Yangon (Rangoon) vs $10.00 in Mandalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $167 per month, with Mandalay cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇲 Yangon (Rangoon)

🇲🇲 Mandalay

🕒 Local time

10:36 10:36 AM

Same time as Yangon (Rangoon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,160,512

1,208,099

💱 Currency

Myanmar Kyat MMK K

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MMK = 4.78 USD

10,000 MMK = 4.25 EUR

10,000 MMK = 4.78 USD

10,000 MMK = 4.25 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Yangon (Rangoon) Mandalay 570 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Yangon (Rangoon)
Mandalay

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

Yangon (Rangoon) vs Mandalay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandalay wins on cost – living expenses run 220% lower than in Yangon (Rangoon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mandalay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 39% higher in Yangon (Rangoon), which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $369 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $203 in Mandalay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Yangon (Rangoon). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $768 per month in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $240 in Mandalay – a 220% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Mandalay gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mandalay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 220% less than in Yangon (Rangoon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.