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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,605 per month in Caguas vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,504 per month in Caguas vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,403 per month in Caguas vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Caguas costs about 88% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Caguas sits 21% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 $15.12

$2.04 ฿68.2

641.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.0 $82.0

$18.71 ฿624

338.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 $8.04

$7.86 ฿262

2.29%

Cappuccino

$2.74 $2.74

$2.03 ฿67.7

34.98%

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

$1.49 $1.49

$0.80 ฿26.64

86.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.35 ฿11.68

217.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.14 ฿71.5

-9.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.67 ฿122

11.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.73 ฿57.6

39.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.57 ฿52.4

76.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.20 ฿39.99

90.00%

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

$1.97 ฿65.8

159.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$16.23 ฿541

-58.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 $6.26

$3.06 ฿102

104.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.26 $10.26

$10.80 ฿360

-5.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.77 ฿92.3

112.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.17 ฿38.94

108.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.71 ฿57.0

-13.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.59 ฿53.2

147.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.39 ฿46.51

74.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.16 ฿38.56

152.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.66 ฿22.05

256.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.52 ฿17.31

255.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$4.65 ฿155

129.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.19 $14.19

$17.78 ฿593

-20.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.79 ฿59.6

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.34 ฿111

-33.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.91 ฿30.27

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.6 $69.6

$18.64 ฿622

273.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.34 ฿44.70

11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.27 $15.27

$8.11 ฿270

88.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.23 ฿41.16

-29.27%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

42.28%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

19.57%

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

$190 $190

$71.3 ฿2,379

166.94%

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

$58.2 $58.2

$14.01 ฿467

315.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.3 $55.3

$17.93 ฿598

208.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.56 $21.56

$40.82 ฿1,362

-47.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.93 $49.93

$6.88 ฿230

625.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 $9.13

$5.72 ฿191

59.62%

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

$305 $305

$308 ฿10.3K

-1.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-28.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.26 $20.26

$55.8 ฿1,860

-63.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 $35.39

$26.04 ฿869

35.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 $70.3

$84.8 ฿2,829

-17.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 $90.4

$71.0 ฿2,368

27.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 $779

$423 ฿14.1K

84.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 $537

$242 ฿8,088

121.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,813 $1,813

$797 ฿26.6K

127.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 $996

$507 ฿16.9K

96.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,422 $2,422

$1,918 ฿64.0K

26.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$863 $863

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-41.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 $3,057

$595 ฿19.9K

413.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

-3.00%

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

Last update for Caguas: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $779 in Caguas versus $423 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.

Salaries run about 414% higher in Caguas, 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 Caguas versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 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

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

Caguas costs about 88% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,408 per month in Caguas and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $82.0 in Caguas and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,605 in Caguas and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Caguas at $1,605. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caguas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,605 in Caguas. 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, Caguas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.