Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo Rojo and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo Rojo and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,300 per month in Cabo Rojo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,928 per month in Cabo Rojo vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,556 per month in Cabo Rojo vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cabo Rojo costs about 52% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Cabo Rojo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cabo Rojo 2% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.96 $9.96

$2.04 ฿68.3

388.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 $82.1

$18.71 ฿625

338.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 $8.88

$7.86 ฿262

12.98%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$2.03 ฿67.8

78.82%

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

$1.78 $1.78

$0.80 ฿26.67

122.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.35 ฿11.69

294.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.14 ฿71.6

-28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.67 ฿123

-5.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.73 ฿57.7

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.57 ฿52.5

26.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.20 ฿40.04

90.83%

Eggs

$2.34 $2.34

$1.97 ฿65.9

18.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 $8.86

$16.23 ฿542

-45.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 $8.23

$3.06 ฿102

168.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 $12.89

$10.80 ฿361

19.35%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$2.77 ฿92.5

118.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.17 ฿38.99

133.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.71 ฿57.0

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.59 ฿53.2

150.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.39 ฿46.56

180.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.16 ฿38.61

164.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$0.66 ฿22.08

356.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.52 ฿17.33

96.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.99 $11.99

$4.65 ฿155

157.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.54 $15.54

$17.78 ฿594

-12.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.79 ฿59.7

-18.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.34 ฿112

-41.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.10

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.34 ฿44.76

11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.74 $14.74

$8.11 ฿271

81.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.23 ฿41.21

-41.46%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$21.4K ฿715.9K

67.30%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$21.8K ฿728.9K

22.73%

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

$493 $493

$71.3 ฿2,382

590.71%

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

$66.1 $66.1

$14.01 ฿468

372.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$17.93 ฿599

306.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$12.06 $12.06

$5.72 ฿191

110.84%

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

$478 $478

$308 ฿10.3K

55.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$14.7K ฿490.3K

-29.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.37 $45.37

$55.8 ฿1,863

-18.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 $56.0

$26.04 ฿870

114.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$84.8 ฿2,833

5.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$71.0 ฿2,371

48.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,098

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,815 $1,815

$797 ฿26.6K

127.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,292 $4,292

$595 ฿19.9K

621.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

14.20%

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

Last update for Cabo Rojo: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 621% higher in Cabo Rojo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Cabo Rojo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $244 – 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

Cabo Rojo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cabo Rojo costs about 52% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,950 per month in Cabo Rojo and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,300 in Cabo Rojo and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $478 per month in Cabo Rojo and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,300 in Cabo Rojo and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,300 in Cabo Rojo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cabo Rojo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.