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 $744 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,200 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,656 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $1,835 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 45% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.07 $8.07

$1.94 ฿63.5

315.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.61 $34.61

$18.64 ฿609

85.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 $7.04

$7.82 ฿255

-9.97%

Cappuccino

$3.26 $3.26

$1.95 ฿63.8

67.18%

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

$1.15 $1.15

$0.85 ฿27.77

35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.35 ฿11.58

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.13 ฿69.6

-7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.73 ฿122

-18.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.71 ฿56.0

9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.63 ฿53.2

21.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.14 ฿37.15

36.84%

Eggs

$2.80 $2.80

$1.93 ฿63.1

45.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.95 $6.95

$16.21 ฿530

-57.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 $6.85

$3.12 ฿102

119.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 $10.69

$10.90 ฿356

-1.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.75 ฿90.0

17.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.21 ฿39.52

37.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.62 ฿53.0

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.59 ฿51.8

69.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.40 ฿45.70

60.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.17 ฿38.17

80.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.66 ฿21.60

51.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.53 ฿17.22

92.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 $4.11

$4.69 ฿153

-12.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 $11.11

$18.66 ฿609

-40.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.80 ฿58.8

-1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$3.23 ฿106

-22.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 $5.65

$1.41 ฿45.91

300.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.29 ฿42.12

141.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.94 $19.94

$7.84 ฿256

154.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.27 ฿41.58

-21.26%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

19.36%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

24.71%

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

$105 $105

$69.1 ฿2,256

51.69%

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

$19.31 $19.31

$14.08 ฿460

37.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 $41.39

$18.00 ฿588

129.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 $5.22

$5.92 ฿193

-11.82%

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

$144 $144

$299 ฿9,766

-51.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,955 $5,955

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-60.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 $68.2

$54.7 ฿1,787

24.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.63 $42.63

$26.77 ฿874

59.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$85.0 ฿2,776

37.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$70.6 ฿2,306

47.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 $591

$428 ฿14.0K

38.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

71.60%

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

Last update for Antiguo Cuscatlan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $591 in Antiguo Cuscatlan 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $246 – 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: $744 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 17% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,115 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan 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 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 $35.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 $744, than in Chiang Mai at $866. 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 $744 in Antiguo Cuscatlan to $866 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.