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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,601 in Acosta versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,400 in Acosta versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,200 in Acosta versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Acosta is roughly 85% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Acosta is 20% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 ₡4,481

$1.94 ฿63.5

405.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 ₡23.2K

$18.64 ฿609

172.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 ₡4,501

$7.82 ฿255

25.96%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ₡1,760

$1.95 ฿63.8

97.44%

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

$2.04 ₡934

$0.85 ฿27.77

140.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡749

$0.35 ฿11.58

368.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ₡1,391

$2.13 ฿69.6

43.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ₡2,112

$3.73 ฿122

23.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₡928

$1.71 ฿56.0

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 ₡1,261

$1.63 ฿53.2

69.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,010

$1.14 ฿37.15

93.86%

Eggs

$2.89 ₡1,321

$1.93 ฿63.1

49.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 ₡4,576

$16.21 ฿530

-38.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 ₡4,278

$3.12 ฿102

200.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,360

$10.90 ฿356

27.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₡2,026

$2.75 ฿90.0

61.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡696

$1.21 ฿39.52

25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 ₡1,928

$1.62 ฿53.0

160.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.18 ₡1,454

$1.59 ฿51.8

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,573

$1.40 ฿45.70

145.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 ₡1,389

$1.17 ฿38.17

159.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡435

$0.66 ฿21.60

43.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,279

$0.53 ฿17.22

428.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.85 ₡2,217

$4.69 ฿153

3.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 ₡7,067

$18.66 ฿609

-17.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₡1,077

$1.80 ฿58.8

31.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,194

$3.23 ฿106

-19.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₡448

$0.90 ฿29.26

8.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.97 ₡11.4K

$19.21 ฿628

29.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₡818

$1.41 ฿45.91

26.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡808

$1.29 ฿42.12

37.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 ₡3,540

$7.84 ฿256

-1.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₡638

$1.27 ฿41.58

10.24%

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

$37.1K ₡17.0M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

74.51%

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

$32.7K ₡14.9M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

47.03%

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

$93.0 ₡42.5K

$69.1 ฿2,256

34.70%

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

$25.56 ₡11.7K

$14.08 ฿460

81.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 ₡24.4K

$18.00 ฿588

197.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₡25.6K

$41.06 ฿1,341

36.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 ₡10.8K

$6.96 ฿227

240.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 ₡4,452

$5.92 ฿193

64.53%

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

$525 ₡239.8K

$299 ฿9,766

75.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-15.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ₡28.7K

$54.7 ฿1,787

14.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 ₡23.4K

$26.77 ฿874

91.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡58.1K

$85.0 ฿2,776

49.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.6K

$70.6 ฿2,306

50.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 ₡348.8K

$428 ฿14.0K

78.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 ₡273.0K

$237 ฿7,752

151.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 ₡697.1K

$801 ฿26.2K

90.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$975 ₡445.3K

$515 ฿16.8K

89.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,977 ₡903.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

0.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,506 ₡688.0K

$617 ฿20.2K

143.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

103.40%

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

Last update for Acosta: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $763 in Acosta and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acosta pays 144% 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: $51.0 in Acosta vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $246 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Acosta and Chiang Mai differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($1,601 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Acosta pays 144% more on average, 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: $763 in Acosta versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Acosta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $51.0 in Acosta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,601 in Acosta, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Acosta. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Acosta and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Acosta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.