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 $754 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,213 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,672 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Antiguo Cuscatlan is about 12% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Antiguo Cuscatlan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Antiguo Cuscatlan 44% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.14 $8.14

$1.96 ฿65.9

315.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.27 $35.27

$18.35 ฿617

92.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.05 $7.05

$7.48 ฿252

-5.75%

Cappuccino

$3.34 $3.34

$2.02 ฿67.8

65.35%

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

$1.10 $1.10

$0.85 ฿28.52

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.36 ฿11.97

136.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.14 ฿71.9

-8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.59 ฿121

-17.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.65 ฿55.5

12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.57 ฿52.7

30.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.19 ฿40.05

25.21%

Eggs

$2.80 $2.80

$1.94 ฿65.1

44.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 $7.24

$16.19 ฿545

-55.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$2.99 ฿101

127.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$10.94 ฿368

-1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.71 ฿91.2

16.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.17 ฿39.27

41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.69 ฿56.8

52.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.60 ฿54.0

65.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.38 ฿46.56

60.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.20 ฿40.47

82.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.67 ฿22.51

43.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.56 ฿18.74

89.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.64 ฿156

-15.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 $12.22

$17.62 ฿593

-30.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.86 ฿62.6

-8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.30 ฿111

-27.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 $5.61

$1.36 ฿45.92

312.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.34 ฿45.00

126.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.95 $19.95

$8.21 ฿276

143.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.22 ฿41.20

-13.93%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

20.75%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

24.20%

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

$104 $104

$70.7 ฿2,378

46.65%

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

$19.39 $19.39

$14.04 ฿472

38.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.44 $41.44

$17.49 ฿589

136.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 $5.23

$5.92 ฿199

-11.66%

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

$148 $148

$309 ฿10.4K

-52.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,033 $6,033

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-59.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$55.8 ฿1,876

20.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.01 $43.01

$26.11 ฿879

64.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$83.0 ฿2,793

39.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$70.5 ฿2,371

46.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 $605

$432 ฿14.5K

39.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $605 in Antiguo Cuscatlan versus $432 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $243 – 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: $754 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 14% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,130 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan and $1,292 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $754, than in Chiang Mai at $861. 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 $754 in Antiguo Cuscatlan to $861 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.