Cost of Living Comparison Between Antiguo Cuscatlan and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Antiguo Cuscatlan and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $817 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,306 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,795 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Antiguo Cuscatlan is about 14% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Antiguo Cuscatlan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Antiguo Cuscatlan 41% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 $6.95

$2.10 ฿69.3

230.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.13 $44.13

$19.84 ฿656

122.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 $6.92

$5.79 ฿191

19.52%

Cappuccino

$3.55 $3.55

$1.83 ฿60.4

93.99%

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

$1.11 $1.11

$0.78 ฿25.61

42.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.31 ฿10.37

180.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.34 ฿77.2

-12.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.70 ฿122

-2.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.03 ฿67.1

-7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.60 ฿52.7

82.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.42 ฿46.75

1.41%

Eggs

$3.05 $3.05

$2.18 ฿71.9

39.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$15.91 ฿526

-52.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 $7.15

$3.07 ฿102

132.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 $10.10

$9.87 ฿326

2.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.63 ฿86.8

93.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.10 ฿36.19

32.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.63 ฿53.8

79.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.53 ฿50.6

124.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.24 ฿41.13

137.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.13 ฿37.37

188.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.74 ฿24.38

37.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.50 ฿16.48

94.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.28 ฿141

-8.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 $12.12

$17.97 ฿594

-32.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.70 ฿56.1

32.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.90 ฿95.7

3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 $6.05

$1.23 ฿40.76

391.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.53 ฿17.66

475.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.06 $20.06

$2.40 ฿79.3

735.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.44 ฿47.55

-19.44%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

19.84%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

0.58%

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

$129 $129

$64.9 ฿2,145

99.25%

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

$21.65 $21.65

$13.35 ฿441

62.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.02 $43.02

$20.83 ฿688

106.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 $5.11

$6.71 ฿222

-23.85%

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

$164 $164

$787 ฿26.0K

-79.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,719 $4,719

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-68.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 $67.2

$56.2 ฿1,858

19.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.58 $46.58

$24.95 ฿824

86.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$92.7 ฿3,063

26.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$75.1 ฿2,482

57.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 $589

$484 ฿16.0K

21.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

5.57

52.60%

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

Last update for Antiguo Cuscatlan: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $589 in Antiguo Cuscatlan versus $484 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Antiguo Cuscatlan vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $817 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, $950 in Chiang Mai – roughly 16% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,226 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Antiguo Cuscatlan, where all-in costs run around $817, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Antiguo Cuscatlan 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 $817 in Antiguo Cuscatlan to $950 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Antiguo Cuscatlan. 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.